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Copyright, 1S08, by B^ J. Falk, Waldorf-Astoria. New York. 

W. S. Schley, Re.\r Admik.m, U. S. N. 



Oi^liL/L/ 1 AND 

SANTIAGO 



A N HISTORICAL ACCOUNT of the Blockade and 
Final Destruction of the Spanish Fleet under 
command of Admiral Pasquale Cervera, July 3, 1898. 



By GEORGE EDWARD GRAHAM, together with a 
Personal Narrative of the Fight, by Rear- Admiral 
WiNFiELD Scott Schley, U. S. N. 



Illustrated with Photographs taken b}^ the Author during 
the Cruise, and during the Battle. 



CHICAGO 

W. B. CONKEY COMPANY 

publishers 



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OOPXRIQHX, 1B02 

W. B. CONKEY COMI»AJ>fY 

AUL, RIGHTS RESERVED 




''Mankind measures a soldiers ability by his 
successes. As victory is the aim of all strategy and 
tactics, it is proper that generalship should be judged 
by the results attained. The immutable principles of 
war should be carried out whenever it is possible to 
do so, but when they conflict, the leader must carry 
out those which offer the greatest advantages.'' 

— Old Book on IV ar Tactics, 











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r/rj/i^r/^fy/ 



TRIBUTE 



TO 



REAR-ADMIRAL SCHLET 



BY 



Admiral GEORGE DEfVET, U. S. N. 

Commander-in-Chief of the entire Naval Force, 
Victor at Manila Bay, and President of the 
Naval Court of Inquiry: 

'-^ Commodore Schley was the senior officer of our squadron 
o_ff Santiago when the Spanish squadron attempted to escape. 
He was in absolute command, and is entitled to the credit due 
to such commanding officer for the glorious victory which 
resulted in the total destruction of the Spanish ships" 



INTRODUCTION 






INTRODUCTION 







PREFACE 

THE publishers present this book to the public as the first accurate, 
detailed account of the cruise of the Flying Squadron, the 
blockade of Santiago Harbor, and the destruction of Cervera's fleet, 
written by an unprejudiced non-combatant. The major portion of the 
book is written by Mr. George Edward Graham, war correspondent of 
the Associated Press, who was aboard the Brooklyn, Commodore 
Schley's flagship, during the entire five months of the Spanish-American 
War, when that vessel was flying the broad pennant of Commodore 
Schley. It has been thought fit to include in the narrative Commodore 
Schley's own story of the fight, told by him in detail since its occur- 
rence, and after his promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral. The book 
has the absolute and unqualified endorsement of Rear- Admiral Schley, 
and is the only volume of its kind so endorsed. Mr. Graham was 
especially qualified for the writing of this work by reason of the fact 
that for fifteen years he has been a close and trained observer of great 
public events. His special duty aboard the Brooklyn was to correctly 
observe and report the operations of the fleet for the Associated Press, 
and during the important movements including the battle of July 3d, he 
was in a better position, and was better qualified, to absolutely correctly 
observe all of the stirring events than was any other man on any of the 
vessels. For, naturally, every naval officer engaged in action was par- 
ticularly busy with the special duties required of him, while Mr. 
Graham's only duty was to record the events, which he did not only on 
paper but with the aid of a camera. The majority of the remarkable 

21 



22 PREFACE 

pictures in this boolc are from films taken by Mr. Graham, many of them 
during action, and they are here published as a whole for the first time. 

The following letters from Rear- Admiral Schley and Captain Francis 
A. Cook, of the Brooklyn, are tributes to Mr. Graham which aid in 
stamping him as the real historian of the Naval manoeuvres off Santiago: 

( Personal) 
North Atlantic Fleet, Second Squadron. U. S. Flagship Brooklyn, Guantanamo Bay, 

Cuba, July 6, 1898. 

My Dear Graham : I feel that I should not let this opportunity pass without 
expressing to you my high regard for your courage and grit on the occasion of the destruc- 
tion of the Spanish squadron, near Santiago de Cuba, on July 3. 1898. 

You had facilities for observing and correctly recording the account of the action 
possessed by no other correspondent, being at all times in the forefront of the fight, and 
1 should place great confidence in your report. 

During the whole of the action, coolly watching the operations and fearlessly expos- 
ing yourself to the enemy's fire, you carefully observed the manoeuvres of the vessels 
with a devotion to your duty that was in every way worthy of a Forbes or a McGahan. 

Hoping for your continued and unvaried success, believe me, 

Very sincerely yours, 

W. S. SCHLEY. 

Commodore U. S. Navy. 

George Edward Graham, Esq., Flagship Brooklyn. 

U. S. F. S. Brooklyn, First Rate, Guantanamo, Cuba, July 5, 1898. 

My Dear Graham : As you may soon leave us, I desire to congratulate you upon 
your courageous performance of duty during the action with the Spanish fleet under 
Admiral Cervera, off Santiago de Cuba, on the 3d inst. You were either under my per- 
sonal observation.or of the officers on deck, all of whom testify to your pluck and good work. 

You remained in the open during the entire action, at the best point of vantage to 
observe the enemy and our fleet, coolly taking notes and thus contributing most valuable 
and reliable information to history and for instruction of future generations. 

Yours was a devotion to duty, under heavy fire, with no other incentive than to serve 
the best interests of the trust imposed upon you. 

With best wishes for your future, and most pleasant impress from an association on 

board, I am cordially yours, 

F. A. COOK. 

Captain, U. S. Navy, Commanding. 
Mr. George E. Graham. 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Winfield Scott Schley I 

Dedication Page 11 

Tlie Broolclyn's Junior Officers Ill 

Individual Heroes of the Fleet IV 

Captain Francis A. Cook V 

" The squadron will proceed to sea " VI 

" They will never go home "... VII 

" The Brooklyn took coal from the Merrimac " VIII 

" It was novel to coal two ships " IX 

" Schley, Cook and Philip held a conference " X 

" These men helped to prepare the Merrimac " XI 

" I determined to develop their defenses " XII 

"We moved in two columns" XIII 

" A shell accidentally hit the lighthouse " XIV 

" The marines were in exposed positions " XV 

" We watched the Texas silence the battery " XVI 

" They are all out and coming to the west " XVI I 

" The crew was at muster " XVIII 

" A big shell came in the gun deck " XIX 

" The Oregon was coming to help the Brooklyn " XX 

" The Brooklyn and Oregon were bow and quarter" XXI 

23 



24 ILL US TRA TIONS 

" Don't throw that body overboard " XXII 

" The flag was almost shot away " XXIII 

"The Colon had obtained a good lead" XXIV 

" We've only one more to get" XXV 

" Those are the fellows who saved the day " XXVI 

"Three cheers for Commodore Schley " XXVII 

"You bullies won the fight" XXVIII 

" There was a hurricane of cheers " XXIX 

Captain Charles E. Clark XXX 

The Commander-in-Chief and Two Captains XXXI 

" Admiral Cervera and his son were rescued" XXXII 

" Schley went over to see Sampson " XXXIII 

" There was a ragged hole in the Viscaya's bow " XXXIV 

" The Viscaya had been raked by the Oregon " XXXV 

"The Oquendo's steel plates were bulging apart " XXXVI 

"The Teresa had a terrible baptism of fire " XXXVII 

"The Colon turned over in the surf" XXXVIII 

The Spanish Officers XXXIX 

Gifts Presented to Admiral Schley XL 

Brooklyn Apprentices XLI 

Admiral George Dewey XLI I 

Brooklyn Fire Room XLIII 

Captain Murphy and Marines XLIV 

Brooklyn Coming Head On XLV 

A Recent Portrait of Rear- Admiral Schley. XLVI 

Divine Service on Battleship Texas XLVI I 

Cook, Hodgson and Mason XLVIII 




I ^:^. 



ILL US TRA TIONS 27 

Commodore Schley in His Cabin XLIX 

Night Scene During the Blockade L 

Captain and Officers of the Brooklyn LI 

The New York LII 

The Iowa Lni 

The Viscaya LIV 

The Infanta Maria Teresa LV 

The Indiana LVI 

The Oregon , LVII 

The Porter LVI II 

The Ericsson LIX 

The Cushing LX • 

The Texas LXI 

The Massachusetts LXII 

The Minneapolis LXIII 

The Katahdin LXIV 

The Vesuvius LXV 

The Newark ... LXVI 

The Miantonomah LXVIl 

The Cincinnati LXVIII 

The Marblehead LXIX 

The Yale LXX 

The St. Paul LXXl 

The Harvard LXXII 

The Squadron at Anchor in Hampton Roads LXXIII 

The Squadron Leaving Hampton Roads LXXIV 

The Brooklyn In Dry Dock LXXV 



28 ILLUSTRATIONS 

Eight-inch Rifle Practice LXXVI 

Six-inch Gun and Crew LXXVII 

Six-inch Breech-loading Rifle LXXVIll 

Rapid-fire Ammunition LXXIX 

Eight-inch Gun Deck LXXX 



CONTENTS 



Chapter I 
Taking Command Page 33 

Chapter II 
Man and Hero Page 5 1 

Chapter III 
Preparation Page 69 

Chapter IV 
Off to Sea Page 87 

Chapter V 
Clear for Action Page 1 1 

Chapter VI 
Off Cienfuegos Page 1 1 7 

Chapter VII 
Coaling Page 135 

Chapter VIII 
A Will-o'-the-Wisp Page 1 49 

Chapter IX 
Finding the Fleet Page 1 65 

Chapter X 
Reconnaissance Page 1 83 

" Chapter XI 

Hobson's Exploit Page 203 

Chapter XII 

An Escape Page 221 

29 



30 CONTENTS 

Chapter XIII 
The Bombardment Page 233 

Chapter XIV 
The Blockade Page 255 

Chapter XV 
The Troops Arrive Page 273 

Chapter XVI 
Before the Battle Page 29 1 

Chapter XVII 
The Enemy is Escaping Page 305 

Chapter XVIII 
The Viscaya Page 323 

Chapter XIX 
Chasing the Colon Page 339 

Chapter XX 
The Commander-in-Chief Page 35 1 

Chapter XXI 
Schley in Battle Page 371 

Chapter XXII 
Personal Bravery Page 387 

Chapter XXIII 
Schley's Story Page 40 1 

Chapter XXIV 
A Wonderful Chase Page 419 

Chapter XXV 
The Spanish Ships Page 435 

Chapter XXVI 
Victor and Vanquished Page 453 

Chapter XXVII 
Closing Incidents Page 471 



kt^ 



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Captain Francis A. Cook. 
(v) 



CHAPTER I 
TAKING COMMAND 

P'TANDING on the government dock at Newport News a pleasant 
>^J morning, the 28th of March, 1 898, with half-closed eyes one might 
have imagined, looking over the shimmer of blue water, that it was the 
days of '60; that just above, in the broad expanse of water lay the 
American fleet with old-fashioned woodwork, high masts, and masses of 
rigging. And just below, a uniquely constructed, original ironclad, the 
Merrimac, getting up steam and preparing itself for battle with this 
unprotected fleet, about in the same nonchalant manner as would a fox 
in a barnyard, undisturbed, select his prey. And then, up from the 
vicinity of Old Point Comfort there comes a little steel "cheese box," 
the Monitor, its deck so low in the water as to allow the light waves to 
almost rush over it, but with a single formidable-looking gun pointing 
from its steel turret, and the American flag flying proudly from a staff 
on its after-deck. Those on the Merrimac see it, and in answer to the 
defiant wave of the red, white, and blue, there goes up the Confederate 
flag, the success of which means the division of the Union. Expectantly 
you wait for the terrible sea duel which ended in the defeat of the 
Merrimac and the salvation of the Federal fleet, but just then you open 
your eyes as there strides down the dock by you a lithe, active figure 
that in every motion of the body seems to indicate one born to com- 
mand. It is Winfield Scott Schley, of the United States Navy, carrying 
in his pocket his newly-dated commission as Commodore, and his orders 
to take command of the freshly-organized Flymg Squadron, which, if 

33 



34 TAKING COMMAND 

war is to be declared between Spain and the United States, will hunt 
for the enemy's fleets at sea. 

This is the same man who eight years before conveyed to his 
native Sweden the remains of the great Ericsson, the inventor of the 
first steel vessel, that in this very harbor had saved the Federal shipping 
to the glory of the Federal flag. 

PUTTING ON THE WAR PAINT 

He stepped briskly down the walk, and to one of the young officers 
near him, he said, "Send word to Captain Cook that 1 wish to raise my 
flag very quietly. I don't want any display." In the offing lay the 
cruiser Brooklyn, the first-class battleship Massachusetts, and the 
second-class battleship Texas, and a very curious picture they presented. 
From the beautiful pure white, with buff trimmings, that marks the 
ships of the American Navy in times of peace, hundreds of men 
swarming like monkeys at their sides and over their superstructures, 
paint brushes in hand, were transforming them into sullen, gray 
monsters, absolutely devoid of beauty, but clothed in this Quaker hue 
for the purpose of making them less conspicuous to an enemy's gunners. 

"That's supposed to be atmosphere they are painting those ships," 
said the Commodore, with a little laugh, as he waited for the barge to 
be sent to him. And then, pointing out to the ships, he said, "I'll take 
two more like those fellows and lick anything Spain can provide." 

A NOTABLE GROUP 

With him on the pier stood Lieutenant James H. Sears, his flag 
lieutenant, who was to be very conspicuous throughout the future 
events, and whose solid advice and thorough wisdom were invaluable 
during the campaign. Lieutenant Benjamin W. Wells, flag secretary, 
was another of the group, and they, together with Lieutenant McCrea, 



TAKING COMMAND 35 

navigator of the Brooklyn, composed the escort from the flagship. It 
must be remembered that at this time war had not been declared, 
although the terrible happening in Havana harbor had made it almost 
impossible to believe that any other action could be taken by the United 
States government than that of driving the Spanish from the Western 
Continent. 

WAR DAILY EXPECTED 

Assignments like this of Commodore Schley had been made 
daily, in absolute expectation of war, and in the shipyard just above the 
dock on which he stood that day. thousands of men were engaged in 
preparing and building ships for the conflict which was bound to ensue. 
At Havana a board of officers had sat in consultation, and in examina- 
tion of witnesses to determine as to whether the Maine had been 
destroyed by Spanish treachery or by American carelessness. On the 
25th of March they had transmitted their report that the Maine had been 
sunk by an explosion from the outside, although they would not attribute 
this explosion to any hostile act of the government of Spain. 

RAISING THE COMMODORE'S FLAG 

Everywhere the people were clamoring for war. Fifty million 
dollars had been voted by Congress for national defense ; officers had 
been hurried to important stations ; government officials were scouring 
the world for ships, ammunition, and coal ; and everything indicated war, 
except the attitude of President William McKinley. Even at the 
moment that Schley was raising his flag as commander of the Flying 
Squadron, the President was still hoping for peace and for some amicable 
settlement of the difficulty, and every effort was being made to induce 
the Spanish government to withdraw peaceably from the island of Cuba. 

This was the situation on this beautiful morning in March, when, 
at eleven o'clock, eight sturdy oarsmen pulled the Commodore's barge 



36. TAKING COMMAND 

of the Brooklyn alongside of that gallant ship, with Commodore Schley 
in the stern sheets. As nimbly as a boy of twenty, this man of nearly 
sixty ran up the companion-way to the deck, where Captain Francis A. 
Cook and Lieutenant-Commander Newton E. Mason received him 
aboard. In a few minutes the usual salute was fired, and up to the top 
of the masthead went the little blue Commodore's flag, which denoted 
the Brooklyn as the flagship of the Flying Squadron, and which 
remained at the masthead unsullied until it was taken down to replace 
it with the Rear-Admiral's flag in New York harbor six months later. 

THE FLYING SQUADRON 

The squadron at this time consisted only of three ships: the Brook- 
lyn, the Texas, and the Massachusetts ; but notification had been sent 
that the Minneapolis and the Columbia, two fast cruisers, would join the 
fleet later on. 

While the Commodore took possession of his flagship, true to his 

orders not to have any of the prevailing work stopped, the slapping of 

paint brushes went on, and by nightfall all three ships were clad in a 

somber grayness that at any distance, unless with a bright sunshine 

upon them, made them almost a part of the atmosphere, or at night, of 

the darkness. 

AUTHOR ONE OF THE SHIP'S COMPANY 

I had been assigned by the Associated Press, which had received 
permission from Secretary of the Navy John D. Long, to accompany 
the Flying Squadron, provided the acquiescence of Commodore Schley 
was obtained, and that room could be found for my accommodation 
aboard one of the vessels. The detachment of Navigating-Officer 
McCrea a few days after Commodore Schley took command, and the 
fact that there was no chaplain aboard the Brooklyn, fortunately secured 
a place for me aboard the flagship, and I was made at once a member 




k 

•^ 



I s 







TAKING COMMAND 39 

of the ward room mess, with the requirement, however, that I would 
stay ashore at one of the hotels until orders were received to put to sea, 
so as not to excite the attention of the horde of special newspaper men 
who were applying for permission to go with the squadron. 

THE AUTHOR'S FIRST MEETING WITH COMMODORE SCHLEY 

1 recollect with great distinctness my first conversation with the 
Commodore on the subject of my presence aboard. I presented my 
credentials, including a personal letter from a dear friend of his in 
Washington, Colonel Charles A. Boynton, and I must admit, with a great 
deal of fear and trepidation, because, while for fifteen years I had asso- 
ciated with public men of all classes, I had been given to understand 
that the higher officers of the Navy were martinets of the worst kind. 
Summer sun never dispelled morning fog more quickly than Schley's 
smile and handshake dispelled that illusion. He questioned me closely 
about my former newspaper connections, dwelling particularly upon 
such points as would indicate to him whether I was to be trusted or not 
with matters not for publication. One of his first remarks to me was, 
"If you go along with me you will hear a great many more things that 
you must not write or talk about than you will things that you can make 
public." 1 told him that 1 thought my political training made me under- 
stand that thoroughly, and that I was perfectly willing at any time to 
submit my copy to his censorship. 

SCHLEY'S MAGNETIC PERSONALITY 

His next remark to me was, "Can you fight?" I ventured that I 
hadn't very much experience in that line, and he said, rather severely, 
but with just a twinkle in his eye that gave me some encouragement, 
"We don't allow any loafers aboard a man-of-war, and if a lot of the men 
on this ship are killed during a combat, you'll have to help take their 



40 TAKING COMMAND 

places." Then turning to Lieutenant Sears, who stood near him, he said, 
"Sears, if this young man comes aboard put him at work with a six- 
pounder-gun crew. He'll be handy." I saw no particular reason 
for Sears' smile or Lieutenant Wells' broad grin, for at that time I con- 
sidered it a very serious matter. But at one thing I was thoroughly 
delighted, as is every other man who has met this fighter of such mag- 
netic personality. He had impressed me, and yet not suppressed me. 

SCHLEY A QUICK, BRAVE COMMANDER 

He had made me feel that he was a quick, brave, energetic com- 
mander, and in the same breath that he had a warm heart, and despite 
his rank would make himself not only the commander, but the personal, 
approachable friend of those beneath him. 

And so as the days passed by, I, together with every man the Com- 
modore came in contact with during these straining days of waiting, 
during the exciting hunt for Cervera's fleet, during the terrible hours of 
bombardment and battle, grew to love him with that love which men 
ofttimes feel for each other and which develops 'into lifelong, personal 

attachment. 

WAS LOYAL TO HIS COUNTRY IN i860 

And what of this man who sat in his cabin on the Brooklyn, giving 
decisive and quick commands on the one hand, and giving pleasant, 
encouraging words on the other? Was he hunting for a hero's spurs, 
or seeking to make an original record? No; his record v/as already 
made in the annals of the American Navy. When but twenty-two and 
a midshipman in the Navy, he was called into the cabin of the Niagara 
in 1860, by Captain McKean, and told that war had been declared 
between the North and the South. Together with the other officers 
aboard, Schley was asked by the captain if he would sign the papers to 
stand by the old flag, and as will be demonstrated later, he signed. 



TAKING COMMAND 41 

It was this same Schley who, on board the U. S. Owasca, cap- 
tured the first prize of the Civil War, and later displayed, in a very 

laughable manner, his ambition to command. Captain T , of the 

Owasca, while a splendid fighter and otherwise good officer, was sadly 
addicted to drink. The gunboat was lying under Fort Morgan, and 

each morning T , who, during the night had accumulated a great 

deal of liquor-made bravery, would order the gunboat run in to fire a few 
shots at the Fort. The demonstration was invariably accompanied by 
little damage to the forts, but loss of life and a good deal of damage to 

the gunboat. 

ARRESTS CAPTAIN OF SHIP 

Schley overheard the men m the ship complaining of this, and in 
an instant made up his mind to stop it. While he was thinking it over, 
Captain T came on deck and said, "Lieutenant, make ready to 

run in." 

Quick as a flash came the evidently mutinous reply, "I'll be d — d 
if 1 will. It doesn't do any good, and I'm not going to sacrifice life for 
nothing." 

"Afraid, are you?" sneered T . "Well, we'll go in just the 

same, and you'll be court-martialed." 

"No, you won't go in," answered Schley. Then, quickly, 
"Orderly, send the surgeon here." 

The surgeon came, and the smooth-faced lieutenant said, "I want 
to know the condition of Captain T , sir." 

A brief examination, and the surgeon said, "He is intoxicated, sir." 

"A file of marines ! " called Schley. "Lock Captain T in his 

cabin!" 

REPORTS ARREST OF HIS OWN CAPTAIN 

The Owasca was part of a small squadron commanded by Captain 
James Alden, of the Richmond. The day of this episode the quarter- 



43 TAKING COMMAND 

master of the Richmond reported that a gig from the Owasca flying the 
captain's pennant was approaching. Supposing it to be the captain of 
the Owasca, Alden put on his full uniform coat, dressed the side, and 
the b'swain's mate made ready for his three pipes at the gangway. 

When the gig came alongside, Lieutenant Schley sprang up the 
ladder and boarded the Richmond. 

"1 expected to see Captain T , of the Owasca," said Alden, 

with perceptible sarcasm. 

"I am the commander of the Owasca, sir," said Schley. 

"Since when?" asked Alden. 

"An hour ago, sir," replied Schley. 

"Where is Captain T ?" 

"Locked up in his cabin, sir, drunk." 

"Who locked him up?" said Alden. 

"I did. I first put him under arrest, and then shut him up in his 

cabin. Then 1 took command of the ship, and here 1 am to report for 

orders." 

CAPTAIN ALDEN'S JOKE 

Alden was fond of a joke, and he was at first disposed to laugh at 
the young officer's summary action, but quietly said: 

"Well, the first order I give to you now is to lower that pennant in 
the gig. Go back to your ship, sir, unlock that cabin door, and restore 

Captain T to duty. Then report to me if the captain's illness 

still continues, and I will take action. Don't be in too great a hurry to 
take command of a ship, Mr. Schley." 

HIS SPLENDID RECORD IN CIVIL WAR 

Through the Civil War, Schley served with a splendid record, but 
during its continuance found time to return to Annapolis and marry Miss 
Nanny Franklin, the handsome and attractive daughter of a prosperous 




^j^frt 




Copyright, 1902, by W. B. Conkey Company. 

'•''They luill ne"oer go home" 
(vii) 



^?t3=^. 




TAKING COMMAND 45 

merchant there. But even his marriage could not keep him ashore if 
there were active duties at sea to be performed, and in his desire to 
make a record for himself in his chosen profession his v/ife encouraged 
him. 

In cruising service, soon after the Civil War, he subdued 400 
riotous Chinamen on one of the Chincha islands; some time later, in 
order to protect American interests which had become imperiled by an 
insurrection, he landed a force of marines at LaUnion, San Salvador, 
and took possession of the Custom House. 

In 1871 he landed a body of marines at Corea and attacked about six 
times as many natives as he had men, but thrashed them very soundly. 
In 1 876 he went to the West African coast where pirates were menacing 
American commerce, and caught and punished a great many of them 
severely. 

PLACED IN COMMAND OF GREELY RELIEF EXPEDITION 

In 1 884 the Navy Department issued a call for officers to volunteer 
for an expedition to rescue Lieutenant A. W. Greely, who, while 
making explorations in the Arctic seas, had become lost. The call had 
hardly been made public before Schley was in the Department, volun- 
teering his services. He was placed in command of the expedition 
with three ships: the Thetis, the Bear, and the Alert. He has himself 
written very graphically the description of this hazardous voyage. One 
incident in it is worth relating: The morning of one day found the fleet 
up against an ice pack, reaching almost as far as the eye could see and 
making a seemingly solid obstruction to the ships. Up in the crow's 
nest of the Thetis, the place occupied usually by a common sailor 
employed as a lookout, was Captain Schley. The thermometer was 
many degrees below zero and the wind blowing great gusts, which made 
it decidedly unpleasant even for the men on deck. His officers begged 



46 TAKING COMMAND 

him to come down, but he remained there, taking a cup of hot coffee 
occasionally to help keep out the numbing cold. 

RESCUES GREELY AND HIS COMRADES 

Experienced Arctic navigators aboard told him that he would not 
be able to get through the pack; in other words, that they might as 
well abandon the expedition. But toward afternoon of that day, he 
called to his deck officer, "There is a rift in the pack, and we are going 
through." His officers tried to dissuade him from it, saying they would 
get caught and nipped, but he replied, "Gentlemen, there are times 
when it is a necessity and a duty to take risks. This is one of those 
occasions." The ships got through the pack; Greely and his comrades 
were found in a dying condition which forty-eight hours more would 
have ended in death, and were rescued and brought to the United 
States by this intrepid commander. 

CONVEYED REMAINS OF ERICSSON TO SWEDEN 

In 1890 Schley was detailed to convey the remains of Ericsson, 
the inventor of the Monitor, to his native Sweden; and in the following 
year he was ordered to Valparaiso, Chili, where civil war was in prog- 
ress. The United States Minister Eagan had taken such action as 
had made the residents consider that the Americans were opposed to 
them and the intense feeling finally culminated in bloodshed, when two 
sailors of the Baltimore were killed by a mob in the street one night. 
It was here that Schley demonstrated his extraordinary diplomacy, for, 
after investigating the matter, he would certainly have been justified in 
bombarding the town. The men had gone ashore with the full assur- 
ance of the Intendata that they would be protected. Schley was 
surprised at night by the sudden visit of a friendly merchantman 



TAKING COMMAND 47 

captain and several natives, wlio assured him in an excited way that 
his men were icilled, and that his duty was to bombard the town. 

HIS PROMPT ACTION IN CHILI 

"Not much," answered Schley. "I will think matters over and 
will investigate," and after sending Lieutenant Sears and his squad of 
marines ashore to look into the matter and bring the bodies off, he went 
to bed. In the meantime. Sears and his marines were taken and locked 
up. Next morning, after making inquiry himself, Schley paid a visit to 
the Intendata, an old man, over eighty years of age, who received him 
with fear and trembling, and asked him to be seated. 

"No," said Schley, "this is not a sitting matter. I want my men 
released at once, and put back on ship." 

"You'll have to see the judge," said the Intendata. 

"No, 1 won't," roared Schley, while the old man crept into the 
corner. "You order those men released, or you'll have trouble. And 
further than that, you'll pay indemnity for the two men who were killed 
last night, or I'll blow the tops off your buildings." Then he stalked 
down to his barge, went aboard his ship, the Baltimore, requested the 
German man-of-war and the English man-of-war, which were on either 
side of him, to change their anchorage, and prepared to carry out 
his word. 

But in a very short time the Intendata sent word that the men 
were on their way to the ship, and that the Chilian government would 
take care of the indemnity. 



ZXf4^*i 








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^5Uy^V* 




CHAPTER II 
MAN AND HERO 

WITHIN sight of the National Capitol, and in the town that gave 
to America Francis Scott Key, the author of the "Star 
Spangled Banner," Winfield Scott Schley was bom in 1839. The old 
Schley farm of "Richfield," an estate of some three hundred acres, 
lying about four miles north of Frederick City on the Emmitsburg 'pike, 
was the home of his father and mother, John T. Schley and Virginia 
Schley, and here were entertained many of the most prominent men 
and women of the South. A grandson of John Schley— a Bavarian 
who in the latter part of the eighteenth century came to this country 
and settled in the then small town of Frederick, Maryland— John 
Thomas Schley was a prominent figure in that state, and the charms of 
his wife, who had been Miss Virginia McCIure, brought many friends 
from her native city of Baltimore. 

HIS BOYHOOD DAYS 

Among those who enjoyed the hospitality of the Schley homestead 
came doughty old General Winfield Scott, the grizzled veteran hero of 
the Mexican War, and it was in honor of the friendship which existed 
between the two men that the baby boy was christened with the name 
which has now grown so beloved and so famous throughout the country, 
Winfield Scott Schley. 

During his early boyhood, Winfield Scott Schley and his four brothers 
and sisters lived at the old home, and attended the adjacent school. 

51 



52 MAN AND HERO 

During this time there were no startling events to recall, no wonderful 
characteristics that marked the boy as a future moulder of events and a 
man of deeds. His life ran along as smoothly as does that of any 
healthy, happy, normal American boy, until, when he was nine years of 
age, its even tenor was sadly interrupted by the death of his mother. 
Shortly after, the family moved into Frederick City, and here the youth 
became a student at St. John's Institute, until three years later, when 
he secured an appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis. 

MEETS THE FUTURE MRS. SCHLEY 

It was during his course of study at the academy that Schley met 
his future wife, Miss Nanny Franklin, the attractive, accomplished 
daughter of a prosperous merchant of Annapolis, to whom he was 
married in 1863, three years after he had been graduated. 

The first commission given the young midshipman upon his leav- 
ing his alma mater, was aboard the U. S. S. Niagara, and on this voy- 
age occurred an incident which I have often heard him recount with 
glee, as an example of boyish nonsense and mischief. 

AN INCIDENT ON BOARD SHIP 

The Niagara had been ordered to proceed to Japan to convey to 
their home the members of the Japanese Embassy. It was a long, 
tedious trip around the Cape, and diversions were few, so, when the 
ship lay too off the African coast and venders of monkeys, parrots, and 
all sorts of tropical pets came aboard, they were heartily welcomed. 
A few members of the embassy were greatly delighted with some par- 
ticularly uncanny specimens of the Genus Cercepitheci, and accordingly 
several were transferred to the ships. Ordinarily monkeys, and particu- 
larly the marmosets, are huge favorites with the sailor, but these were 
extremely unpopular. Owing to matters diplomatic at that period, it 



MAN AND HERO 53 

was considered advisable to liumor and please the Japanese in every 
possible way, and so Captain McKean and his officers made no open 
objection, but deep and earnest were the anathemas hurled at the 
simians in private. Having the entire run of the ship, no object was too 
remote, no mast too high, no belonging too personal, to escape the 
ravages of the monkeys. Sailors and junior officers were particularly 
incensed against them, and one morning, when their misdeeds had been 
especially flagrant, justice was meted out to them. Choosing a time 
when none of the embassy or officers were about, Midshipman Schley 
ordered the sailors to catch and bring to him two of the very largest and 
most aggressive ringtails, and at the same time called for a bucket of 
slush from the galley. Carefully and thoroughly each monkey's tail was 
greased, and then, with a shout, they were released and fled, chattering 
madly, to the topmost mast, from which they launched out with a leap 
to the lower studding sail which hung out far over the water, thirty feet 
from the deck. But the trusted flexile tails failed them, and slipping 
from cords, clutching and shrieking, the two monkeys fell into the China 
sea, while the ship speeded on. Alarmed by the cries of their pets, the 
members of the embassy hurried on deck, but from that time on the 
ship was relieved of its pestiferous rangers, the rest of them being safely 
confined. 

THE CIVIL WAR BREAKS OUT 

In less than a year from the time Schley left the Naval Academy, 
in fact, while the Niagara was still on her voyage, the heavy war clouds 
were gathering; but without news until they reached America, those on 
board were astounded by the announcement of the pilot that Sumter 
had been fired upon, and all the country was ablaze. 

Staunch old Captain McKean ordered all his officers to his cabin 
for consultation, and, with voice trembling with stress of emotion, and 
with tears dimming his eyes, asked them to sign a paper that he had 



54 MAN AND HERO 

drawn up, and which stated that the signers would be true to their flag, 

and to the country which had nurtured and trained them. 

And then occurred a most dramatic incident. Picture the low, 

rather dark cabin ; a gray-haired officer standing in the midst of his men 

and asking them to decide the most momentous question of their lives. 

There they stood. Northerner and Southerner, Easterner and Westerner, 

classmates, shipmates, all trained to defend the flag they had sworn to 

guard and cherish. Some marched up and signed at once, while others 

lingered, debating, torn by duty to country or loyalty to a section. Some, 

with tears, refused to put their names to the document, while others 

with the fiery Southern blood, strongly averred they too would stand by 

the Confederacy. 

STANDS BY THE FLAG 

But almost among the first, Winfield Scott Schley stepped to the 
Captain's side, and looking for a moment up through the hatchway to 
where the stars and stripes fluttered at the masthead, he said simply 
but with deep feeling, "I stand by the flag, Captain. I'll sign." And 
who can say that for one moment Admiral Schley has ever swerved 
from his loyal love to that flag, which for so many years of his life has 
been the only emblem of his far-away country? 

Admiral Schley's deep reverence for the flag is clearly shown in 
the following extract from a toast, "The glory that follows the flag," to 
which he responded at a banquet recently given in his honor, words 
which should fill every American with patriotism: 

THE GLORY THAT FOLLOWS THE FLAG 

"The glory that follows our flag,' is a significant sentence. The 
flag we all love and protect is the oldest flag in the world to-day It is 
one hundred and twenty-three years old. Even the imperial flag of 
China, the oldest empire \n the world, is not as old as ours, for its shape 




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MAN AND HERO 57 

has been recently changed. Great Britain, Russia, France, have all 
altered theirs. The only change that our flag has undergone has been 
in the addition of stars to its beautiful galaxy. It is the flag of Wash- 
ington. Under it we have gained every victory of our Republic; under 
it we have become rich; under it we have become powerful. It has 
meant liberty and happiness to whomsoever it has been carried. The 
honor that comes to those who follow the flag is the applause of the 
people. There is, perhaps, no place where the love of flag and the love 
of home is greater than in the Navy. We are much of the time on the 
outskirts of civilization, far from our friends, but the love of home and 
the love of kindred keep the fires of patriotism burning in our hearts. 
In my own experience recently, and from the days of 1861, I have felt 
that the greatest honor came to him, however humble he might be, who 
could add something to the honor of the American name." Those con- 
versant with naval history during the War of the Rebellion know what 
splendid work the young lieutenant did for the preservation of the flag 
during those years. 

MODEST TO A FAULT 

With all his wealth of adventure, and notwithstanding his literary 
abilities and delightful powers as a raconteur. Admiral Schley has 
studiously avoided rushing into print. While a brilliant conversationist, 
with a remark always apt and apropos, the Admiral's sayings are never 
made with an eye to seeing them heralded the next day or week. Like 
Admiral Dewey, Schley has kept "golden silence." But once has he 
ever published any story of an occurrence in his life, and that was an 
account, most modestly told, of "The Rescue of Greely," issued in 
1886 by Scribners. That bit of history, thrilling and intensely interest- 
ing from cover to cover, is yet a mere statement of fact, and the author 
evidently considered that in writing it, it was far more for the purpose 
of telling of Greely's sufferings and his near approach to death in the 

4 



58 MAN AND HERO 

Frozen North than an attempt to himself pose before the public as a 
heroic rescuer. 

SCHLEY PLANNED BUOY SYSTEM FOR NEW YORK HARBOR 

Aside from his fighting qualities, Admiral Schley has been of great 
service to the Navy Department in other ways. Few who enter the 
beautiful harbor of New York bay know that its intricate system of 
buoying was planned by Admiral Schley in 1893; or, that in 1892, 
while assigned to the lighthouse service with headquarters at Staten 
Island, it was Admiral Schley who first introduced the inductive tele- 
phone system for use on the light ships, and thus put these men exiled 
out in the ocean in touch with the main world. 

THE MARRIED LIFE OF THE ADMIRAL 

During the early part of their married life, Admiral and Mrs. Schley 
had a home in Washington, and though he was away on sea duty the 
majority of the time, it was here their three children were educated. 
One son has inherited his father's martial nature, and although he did 
not enter the Navy, in the Army of the United States, Lieutenant 
Thomas Franklin Schley, 23d regiment, U. S. Infantry, is winning his 
laurels. The other son. Dr. Winfield Scott Schley, Jr., is a surgeon in 
St. Luke's Hospital, New York, and nearly gave up his life for the sake 
of science during the summer of 1901. His father, who had just been 
relieved from duty with the South Atlantic squadron and who was 
returning home, was in England when the news reached him of his 
son's dangerous condition. Canceling all engagements, the Admiral 
sailed on the first steamer for America, and all through the hot weeks 
of early summer, was day after day by his namesake's bedside, cheer- 
ing him on to victory in his fight with disease. The third child, a 
daughter, Virginia, was married in 1890 to Ralph Granville Montague 



MAN AND HERO 59 

Stuart Wortley, a brother of the Earl of Warcliffe. The Wortleys 
reside in New Yorlc, besides having. a charming summer home in Con- 
necticut overlooking the Sound, and with them the Admiral and Mrs. 
Schley spend a great deal of their leisure time. 

MEMBER PORTO RICO EVACUATION COMMISSION 

Closely following upon the. signing of the protocol on August 16, 
1898, and shortly after the triumphant return of the fleet to New York, 
President McKinley honored Admiral Schley by appointing him as the 
representative of the Navy on the Porto Rico Evacuation Commission, 
which within sixty days had completed its work. 

Some time later, in conversation concerning the battle of July 3, 
1898, Admiral Schley said: "Subsequently, in Porto Rico, I talked 
very frankly with Spanish officers. They said a great deal about their 
honor. We all admitted it. But one day I told them I thought there 
were four fundamentally wrong military traditions in Spain. First, the 
Spanish government thought that Spanish soldiers could fight without 
being fed; second, that they could be vigilant without getting sleep; 
third, that they could be loyal when they were not being paid; and 
fourth, that they were given a language so rich and sonorous and full of 
synonyms that they talked too d— d much, and did not learn to fight." 

THE ADMIRAL AN EXCELLENT COMRADE 

Admiral Schley has been criticised by some extreme believers in 
class distinction as a "hail fellow," and one who poses as a good com- 
rade, with a hearty welcome and handshake to any, no matter how far 
down the social ladder, so long as his reputation for friendliness is 
maintained. Such an opinion is too unjust to be denied, as all who 
know the true, warm-hearted, loyal, generous man can witness. It is 
no footlight cordiality with him, but a warm courtesy that sees good in 



60 MAN AND HERO 

all, and refuses to believe evil of his most ardent enemies, until the 
proof is so positive it cannot be gainsayed, when he always has some 
kindly excuse to make for the offender. 

THE ADMIRAL AND THE OLD GARDENER 

An instance of this friendly thoughtfulness was seen in Annapolis, 
when the Admiral and Mrs. Schley were called there to attend the 
funeral of Mrs. Cook, wife of Captain Francis A. Cook, who had com- 
manded the Brooklyn during the Spanish War. Hundreds of friends 
and admirers strove for a handclasp or a word with the Admiral, and 
the ovation grew with every moment. On his way to the Naval 
Academy, an old man, in working clothes and bearing a gardener's 
tools, passed the Admiral without speaking. Suddenly Schley turned, 
and overtaking him, said, "Why, John, don't you know me?" It was an 
old resident of Annapolis, and as he recognized the speaker, the men's 
hands clasped warmly, and for a few moments they stood amicably 
chatting, the Admiral inquiring about little personal matters relating to 
John Hughes that evinced a retentive memory and a sincerity of pur- 
pose that evidently gave much pleasure to the old gardener. 

RETICENCE IN SPEAKING OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS 

On another page I spoke of Admiral Schley's reticence in writing 
or speaking of his achievements. Once in conversation he said: "Even 
one man's part in this many-act drama is too long, too full of changes 
and complications, too much entangled with the lives and acts of others, 
too intimately identified with the evolution of his own character and 
soul, to be seen by himself in its true proportions. He can only plunge 
into the sea of his recollections and bring up now and then a detached 
incident or name, perhaps trivial enough, perhaps of a significance 
unperceived at the time, yet destined eventually to be woven into that 




■<, 






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a 



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MAN AND HERO 63 

vast fabric of realistic fiction known as tiistory. Tiie real sum of his 
experience, or the memories of it, is embodied in his opinions. Opin- 
ions, as we know, are oftentimes variable ; or they may be as set as the 
eternal hills, and yet be erroneous. The imagination sees more than 
the eye. Lifelong friendships, which nothing else could shake, are 
sometimes broken by differences of impression and memory — so justly 
sensitive are men of war as to their personal records of bravery and 

honor. 

THE WAY WITH SOLDIERS AND SAILORS 

"When General Zachary Taylor, after the Mexican War, became 
President," continued Admiral Schley, "he was overwhelmed with 
applications from veterans who had participated in the battle of Buena 
Vista. Every one of these old soldiers was able to give a detailed 
description of some incident in the fight, and v/ould attempt to recall to 
the General circumstances which he could not in the least remember, 
but which he was obliged to conclude he had known and perhaps for- 
gotten. At last the old warrior exclaimed, 'Was it a dream? Did I 
ever fight that battle at all? I thought I was there once, but if all these 
accounts are straight, my memory has tricked me.' And," added 
Schley, "that is the way with soldiers and sailors. Each man thinks 
himself the center of action, with all the rest revolving around him in 
secondary orbits. The spirit is right and proper enough, and such per- 
sonal narratives are the raw material of history, but they require careful 
editing." 

RECEIVED MANY TRIBUTES FROM PEOPLE 

Few men, perhaps, have received more tributes of the love, honor, 
and esteem in which they are held by the people, than has Admiral 
Schley. Among his most treasured souvenirs is a handsome gold- 
mounted, ebony cane, presented to him by the crew of the U. S. S. Bal- 
timore when he was relieved from that command. "You know, sir," 



64 MAN AND HERO 

said the spokesman chosen by the crew, "that when you were an officer, 
regulations did not permit us to give you a present ; but now that you 
have given up command of the ship, you are only a gentleman." 

ADMIRAL PRESENTED WITH MAGNIFICENT SWORDS 

In 1898 a magnificent sword costing $4,200 was presented to 
Admiral Schley at Philadelphia, a gift from that city and other munici- 
palities of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. A few months 
later, in 1899, at Carnegie Hall, New York, the Admiral was presented 
with a sword by the Royal Arcanum, of which he is a commander. The 
sword cost $2,000, and bears on one side of the blade the inscription, 
"Presented to Rear- Admiral Winfield Scott Schley by the Royal 
Arcanum of the United States, in Admiration of his Victory over the 
Spanish at Santiago, July 3d, 1898," while on the reverse of the blade 
is etched a scene of the battle. 

Baltimore has generously honored her son by several rich souve- 
nirs of his gallant achievements. After his return from the Greely 
rescuing expedition, Admiral Schley was presented with a magnificent 
gold chronometer and chain, the latter being in the design of a ship's 
hawser, with connecting anchors. Again, in the summer of 1899, at 
the home of General Felix Agnus, Rear- Admiral Schley was presented 
with a silver tea service from the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Schley Testi- 
monial Committee. 

HIS NATIVE STATE PRESENTS COMMEMORATION MEDAL 

At a banquet held in Schley's honor in Baltimore, Tuesday, Febru- 
ary 28, 1899, the state of Maryland, through its legislature, presented 
to the Admiral a superb commemorative medal. Two inches m diam- 
eter, the center is a heavy gold plate, bearing an exact reproduction, in 
colored enamels, of the Maryland coat-of-arms, even the ermine mantle 



MAN AND HERO 65 

being shown in detail. Separated from the plate by a narrow gold 
band, is a circle of large diamonds, and encircling the whole a wreath 
of acorn leaves in green gold, interspersed with the tiny nuts of shining 
gold. At equidistant points the wreath is crossed and held by narrow 
ribbon bands of small diamonds. The medal is held by a twisted ribbon 
of blue enamel, the edge of which is set with one hundred and forty dia- 
monds, and which bears the inscription, "Maryland honors her son, 
Winfield Scott Schley." Entwined with the ribbon is an anchor of dia- 
monds, and two crossed swords, their hilts being studded with the 
gems. The whole is suspended from the base of the United States 
coat-of-arms, surmounted by an eagle, which is mounted on a blue rib- 
bon, bearing the two golden stars of a rear-admiral. On the reverse 
side, directly opposite the Maryland coat-of-arms, is the cruiser Brook- 
lyn, in bas-relief of gold. 

The official record of Winfield Scott Schley is as follows: Ap- 
pointed a cadet at the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, September 
20, 1856; graduated and warranted a midshipman, June 15, 1860; 
lieutenant, July 16, 1862; lieutenant-commander, July 25, 1866; com- 
mander, June 10, 1874, captain, March 31, 1888; commodore, Feb- 
ruary 6, 1898; rear-admiral, March 3, 1899, retired, October 9, 1901. 




^S^3V. 



CHAPTER III 
PREPARATION 

ON THE 29th and 30th of March, the nucleus of the Flying 
Squadron remained at Newport News, coaling and otherwise 
preparing for any emergency which might arise. The presence of 
Commodore Schley aboard did not disturb any of the routine ; but on 
the 31st, under his orders, the squadron moved to a point just off 
Fortress Monroe, where a better view of the harbor could be obtained 
in case hostile vessels of any kind should enter. It was also considered 
a better anchorage for his fleet — which, naturally, was to be enlarged. 
That day, indeed, the fast cruiser Columbia joined the squadron. 

PRELIMINARY DRILL 

There was every indication that the ships would remain there at 
least until after war had been declared, a thing which did not seem to 
be probable for some few weeks, and so most of the officers sent for 
their wives and families, and domiciled them at the nearby hotels. 
Despite the fact that this opened up a clear line of social duty and made 
of Old Point Comfort a sort of naval society rendezvous, the squadron, 
under the command of Commodore Schley, became exceedingly active 
in perfecting arrangements for meeting an enemy. 

A systematic method of coaling and provisioning was arranged so 
that each day's provisions used and each day's coal consumed would be 
replaced the same day, in the event that if war was declared and a hur- 
ried summons was received to proceed to sea, the fleet would be in 
almost perfect condition. 

69 



70 PREPARA TION 

SUB-CALIBRE GUN PRACTICE 

Nor was this all. Commodore Schley had no sooner taken com- 
mand than he issued a series of orders for sub-calibre gun practice, 
promising that as soon as perfect results were obtained by these meth- 
ods, he would allow the using of large ammunition to test the ability of 
the gunners at long ranges. So every morning for the weeks that we 
laid there, there could be heard the popping of these sub-calibre 
cartridges, and the proficiency of the men was shown by the rapid 
destruction of linen targets placed at ranges varying from 1,000 to 1,500 
yards from the vessels. Sub-calibre practice consists in putting into 
a disk which fits in the breech of the large guns, a forty-four-calibre rifle 
cartridge and firing it in the same manner as a large projectile would be 
fired, but of course with a limitation of range. 

There was a distinct rivalry among the ships over this kind of shoot- 
ing, which was very refreshing and undoubtedly very helpful to the 
esprit de corps. During the afternoons the men were not allowed to 
rest either, but gun captains and ammunition captains trained their men 
in the careful handling of the large projectiles, cartridges and explo- 
sives. The flagship would suddenly signal also, at various times, not 
only of the day but of the night, for fire drills, for a torpedo attack, and 
to clear ship for action, and it was exciting indeed to see the alacrity 
with which the men accomplished these various manoeuvres, one ship 
vieing with the other in ability to raise quickly the pennant announcing 
that the order had been thoroughly obeyed. 

NOT A SOCIAL FROLIC 

I have told a trifle in detail of these drills and the activity displayed 
upon the ships under Commodore Schley to dispel the somewhat 
erroneous impression that has been given at times that the waiting period 
of the Flying Squadron at Hampton Roads was a mere social frolic, in 



PREPARA TION 71 

which officers and men alike took part. It is true that the officers who 
were not employed on watch or division duty had shore leave in the 
evening, but even then I have seen orderlies, in the middle of the 
festivities, rush into the ball-rooms or drawing-rooms of the hotels, noti- 
fying all officers to appear aboard at once, and amid great excitement a 
few minutes would suffice to find everybody back aboard ship. These 
calls were made for the special purpose of seeing how quickly ships 
could be gotten ready for any specific duty. 

THE MINNEAPOLIS JOINS THE SQUADRON 

On April the 2d, the Minneapolis, another fast cruiser, joined us, 
and with the exception of the Texas we now had a very fast squadron. 
During the days that we waited there for the declaration of war to be 
made upon the finishing of the report of the Board of Inquiry in the 
Maine matter, then sitting at Havana, the extra precautions as detailed, 
in addition to the regular routine of the ships, were followed out daily, 
even in wet and stormy weather. Some of the things, of course, which 
took place during that period might to outsiders have had a humorous 
aspect, but to us it was all exceedingly serious work. 

COLUMBIA SENT TO PROTECT NEW ENGLAND COAST 

I remember a crowd of us were sitting in the hotel at Old Point 
Comfort one evening, when a messenger rushed in, calling for officers 
belonging to the Columbia. The officers, amidst great excitement, 
started for the dock where their launches lay. A rumor at once arose 
that the Spanish fleet had been sighted off the New England coast, and 
that the Columbia was to go and find them, and, if possible, intercept 
them. The absolute ridiculousness of such a situation never quite 
dawned upon anyone just then, because tearful women and children 
were bidding husbands and fathers good-bye. But, when the Columbia 



72 PREPARATION 

had steamed down the bay, we who were left behind began to realize 
that while she might have been needed for some scout work, she would 
hardly have proceeded alone to destroy the Spanish fleet. It was true 
that the New Englanders, somewhat alarmed, had discovered numerous 
"Spanish fleets" hovering in their vicinity, and the Navy Department 
had sent to them to allay their alarm the unprotected cruiser Columbia. 
Her principal feat during that cruise was to stove a hole in her bow 
and get laid up for repairs. 

RUMORS OF SPANISH FLEET CAUSES CONSTERNATION 

On April the 5th some little excitement was created by the Brook- 
lyn firing her large eight-inch guns from her forward turret. These guns 
had been remounted and the trial was made for the purpose of testing 
the mounts, but the rumor gained credence ashore that the Spanish 
fleet had passed inside the Capes and was coming up to destroy Fortress 
Monroe. A similar rumor a few nights later created still greater con- 
sternation. There was a dance at the hotel, it being Saturday night, 
and the Army people from Fortress Monroe and the Navy contingent 
from the fleet were fraternizing in the big ball-room. Suddenly faces 
blanched, for, as messengers passed about the hall, there was a hurried 
rush of Naval officers to their small boats and Army officers to the Fort. 
The women trailed on dismally behind in fear and trepidation. Word 
had come from the observer at the Capes that three suspicious vessels 
had passed inside, and they were believed to be Spaniards. On the 
ships active preparations were at once begun to receive an enemy, and 
the picket boats, launches from the ships, were ordered to move further 
down the Narrows so that they might be able to give warning by colored 
lights if an enemy was sighted. To cap the climax, the electric com- 
pany deemed it its duty to extinguish all the lights ashore, being afraid 
that the enemy would otherwise be aided in their bombardment, and the 



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Copyright, 1002, by W. B. Conkey Company. 

'•'I deto'niincd to de-'elop their defenses'' 
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PREPARA TION 75 

result was thai the hotels were filled with weeping, hysterical women, 
and grave, white-faced men^ who expected every instant to hear a 
shell come pounding through the big corridors. 

A trifle later the observer at the Capes notified the operator at the 
Fort that he had been in error, but confidence had been destroyed, and 
nothing could induce those in the hotels to resume the festivities that 
night. 

When Commodore Schley, aboard the Brooklyn, was informed by 
Captain Cook why the ship had gone to quarters, he laughed very 
heartily and asked if anybody could explain to him where this mythical 
fleet was supposed to have come from. 

WHAT IT COST TO KEEP THE BROOKLYN 

The mere statement which I have made in the former part of this 
chapter that the ships were kept fully supplied with coal and provisions 
will not impress itself upon the layman's mind as meaning very much 
unless they know just exactly what the keeping of one ship like the 
Brooklyn amounts to, taken in conjunction with the fact that there were 
already four of similar size in this squadron, with the prospect of two or 
three more being added. From the assistant paymaster of the Brooklyn 
1 obtained the list of purchases necessary in one month to sustain the 
crew, consisting as the Brooklyn's crew did of 427 men, 20 chief petty 
officers, and 33 other officers. 

In cash alone there is paid to these men $20,000. There is used 
aboard generally in that month from the general stores 2,000 pounds of 
soap, 500 pounds of tobacco, 300 yards of flannel, 150 yards of cloth, 
100 cap ribbons, an average of 50 suits of underwear, 50 pairs of shoes, 
25 pairs of trousers, 25 overshirts, besides whisk brooms, scrub brushes, 
shoe brushes, tape, pins, needles, cotton thread, knives, scissors, spoons, 
and forks. 



76 PREPARATION 

And then come the provisions. This crew in one month consumed 
6,000 pounds of bread, 35 pounds of yeast, 3,000 pounds of sugar, 300 
pints of condensed milk, 900 pounds of coffee, 100 pounds of tea, 1 ,000 
pounds of butter, 200 pounds of lard, 8,000 pounds of fresh beef, 2.000 
pounds of fresh fish, 1,800 pounds of salt pork, 1,200 pounds of salt 
beef, 800 pounds of liver, 900 pounds of ham, 480 pounds of bacon, 
900 pounds of pork chops, 300 pounds of sausages, 400 pounds of salt 
mackerel, 500 pigs' feet, 800 pounds of tinned meats, 240 pounds of 
bologna, 240 pounds of cheese, 800 pounds of rice, 300 pounds of 
macaroni, 300 gallons of beans, 400 bushels of potatoes, 12 bushels of 
onions, 20 bushels of turnips, 600 heads of cabbage, 120 quarts of clams, 
480 quarts of catsup, 12 pints of flavors, 100 pounds of dried fruit, 300 
pounds of salt, 30 pounds of pepper, 24 pounds of curry powder, 300 
pounds of pickles, 30 gallons of vinegar, 30 gallons of syrup, and to 
make one omelette for the immense crew for one morning's breakfast, 
1,500 eggs. 

THE AMOUNT OF COAL SQUADRON USED 

The four ships in the squadron, in order to keep up steam, burned, 
even in their inactivity, about 300 tons of coal a day, and this was 
replaced each morning so as to keep the bunkers full, in case of a 
sudden call. 

Between April 7th and April 13th, very little of any moment 
occurred on the fleet except the redoubling of the efforts to make every- 
thing more efficient. About noon on April 13th, there was a general 
scurrying from shore, as an order was raised at the mastheads of the 
ships for everybody to report at once aboard. About the same time 
Admiral Schley went ashore himself and affectionately kissed his wife 
good-bye, giving a hint to the other officers that they were going to sea. 

At 2:50 in the afternoon the first active movement of the squadron 
was made. A string of parti-colored flags went up to the masthead of 



PREPARA TION 77 

the Brooklyn, reading to the initiated, "Squadron will proceed to sea," 
followed by another one giving the squadron's speed at ten knots. The 
alacrity with which anchors were pulled up and the squadron headed 
out was remarkable, except in the case of the Minneapolis, which ship 
had swung so much to her anchor that she had fouled it, and had to be 
left by the rest of the squadron, being ordered by the flagship to join us 
later off Cape Charles. 

The squadron moved down Hampton Roads and out to sea in 
majestic procession, and when nearing the Capes, cleared for action. 
The men aboard, who knew nothing whatever of the destination of the 
ships or the meaning of the order, were apparently crazy with delight 
and the three ships reported themselves ready to fire almost simulta- 
neously. 

SQUADRON BEGAN EVOLUTIONS FOR BATTLE 

It was rough weather outside of the Capes, but as dusk approached 
the fleet anchored about fifteen miles off Cape Charles, while the dis- 
appointed sailors who had expected a fight restored the ships to normal 
condition. 

We remained there for the night, the Minneapolis joining us later 
on, and relays of men under order of Commodore Schley sleeping at 
the guns, which were kept loaded as if prepared for an attack. The 
next day the heavy weather continued, but at nine o'clock anchors were 
raised, and the squadron began evolutions for battle, following the flag- 
ship's orders. This was continued with much success until a fierce 
hail and wind storm compelled a cessation. Anchors were dropped 
fourteen miles east of Cape Charles and we lay there for another night. 

The morning of the 15th the order was raised from the flagship for 
a gun drill with large projectiles, and for the first time the ships demon- 
strated how they would look when actually engaged with an enemy. 
The piercing crack of the six-pounders and one-pounders, the long. 



78 PREPARA TION 

reverberating roll of the thirteen-inch guns of the Massachusetts, the 
twelve-inch of the Texas, and the eight-inch ones on the Brooklyn, the 
half naked men working at the guns with a will, the blinding flashes 
from the mouths of the great steel monsters, and the dense rolls of 
smoke as the guns were discharged, all made a beautiful naval picture 
that morning. 

In the afternoon, much to the disgust of both officers and men, the 
squadron ran back to Hampton Roads, and once more anchored off Old 
Point Comfort to await anxiously the doings of Congress. 

Curiously enough, the naval officers' families who had been at the 
hotels had become firmly convinced that the squadron had departed for 
good, and had themselves left for their homes, so that our little social 
recreation which had somewhat broken the monotony was not 
continued. 

RECEIVED NEWS THAT WAR HAD BEEN DECLARED 

From April 15th to April 25th, the fleet lay at Hampton Roads in 
a state of distressing inactivity, so far as the movement of the ships 
was concerned. The routine went on, but the men were so perfect in 
discipline and drill and the handling of the great turrets and the big 
guns, that it had become merely a matter of keeping themselves in 
practice. On the 19th we received word that war had been declared, 
and between that time and the 25th this increased our impatience very 
perceptibly. Commodore Schley firmly believed that he should take a 
position off the south coast of Cuba or the north coast of Porto Rico to 
intercept, if possible, any movement of Admiral Cervera's Spanish 
squadron, which was then announced as being assembled at the Verde 
Islands. It is a fact to be noted here that had his advice been taken 
and the Flying Squadron sent to the south coast of Cuba the probabilities 
are that he would have intercepted Cervera off that coast, or in the event 




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§ ^ 






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-5>*^V*/'* • -^^i^' 




X' * J^ * 




X' ^^-A^ 



PREPARA TION 81 

of Cervera refusing to accept the challenge and choosing Porto Rico, 
that the Spanish would have fallen into the clutches of Admiral Sampson. 

NEW ORLEANS AND SCORPION ADDED TO FLEET 

I have walked up and down with Commodore Schley along the 
quarter-deck, on several occasions, as he talked in an impatient, and 
almost nervous way of the things that he might accomplish if he were 
allowed to go to sea with his present fleet. The Minneapolis had been 
detached from the squadron and had gone scouting, but had been 
replaced by the newly purchased New Orleans with her beautiful long 
calibre guns, and the converted yacht Scorpion, under command of 
Lieutenant-Commander Marix, who was navigating officer of the Maine 
and judge advocate of the board which investigated the explosion. 

The most exciting episode of our stay at Hampton Roads was the 
narrow escape from great damage of the Brooklyn on the morning of 
the 25th of April. A heavy nor'wester, which had been blowing for two 
days, resolved itself on the morning of the 25th into a furious gale, so 
bad indeed that communication with the shore was entirely cut off, it 
being impossible to send either a launch or a heavy whaleboat across 
what appeared to be a ridiculously small strip of water, but which was 
now whipped up into monstrous seas. 

THE BROOKLYN DRAGGED HER ANCHORS 

The Brooklyn's anchorage was furthest down the bay and about 
700 yards from the Massachusetts, which lay in very close to the rip- 
raps, an old island fortification there. The Texas was about 500 yards 
astern of the Massachusetts, and the New Orleans very close to her, so 
that with a vessel of heavy draught it was almost impossible to go up 
the channel. Suddenly the anchor which held the Brooklyn failed to 
stay her, and with the wind blowing against her exceedingly high super- 

6 



82 PREPARATION 

structure with such force that it was unsafe to stand in an exposed 
position, she began to drift, slowly at first but increasing her momentum 
every second. The officer of the deck noticed her change of position, 
and saw at once that she was dragging her anchor. Captain Cook 
summoned, came on deck, and ordered the second anchor dropped. 
Down it went over the bow, and for a minute or two it held. Suddenly 
it too gave, and faster than ever the Brooklyn began to drive down 
toward the Massachusetts. To go ahead against the two anchors was 
impossible without fouling ourselves, or without swinging around so as 
to strike the Texas. Faster and faster she drifted down upon the 
Massachusetts, as straight almost as though she had been intending to 
impale herself on the heavy warship's ram. Commodore Schley had 
come from his cabin, and he and Captain Cook stood on the starboard 
eight-inch turret, coolly gazing over the side. Personally I was simply 
dancing with excitement, as were a great many officers and men near 
me. "Are they going to let her collide with the Massachusetts? Why 
do they not do something?" As fast as if steam propelled, she was 
covering the narrow line of blue water between her and the Massachu- 
setts. The battleship could not move. If she backed away she would 
run ashore. And so they waited, Schley and Cook standing on the 
starboard turret of the Brooklyn, and Higginson standing on his forward 
thirteen-inch turret watching for the collision which seemed inevitable. 

ADMIRAL'S QUICK WIT AND COOLNESS PREVENTS COLLISION 

Now we were down on top of her and from the high super- 
structure of the Brooklyn we could look into the eyes of the men of the 
Massachusetts. Lieutenant-Commander Mason had ordered the col- 
lision call; the water-tight compartments had been closed; the collision 
mats prepared, and in an instant we all expected that the Brooklyn 
would be put out of commission for the rest of the war. We were 



PREPARATION 83 

within fifteen feet of the terrible steel ram of the Massachusetts, when 
Schley said something quietly to Cook, and Cook roared through the 
megaphone to the waiting officer on the bridge, "Full speed astern 
with your starboard engine." In an instant we could hear the whirl of 
the propeller, and in another instant we could see the Brooklyn turn 
from the ram; then, in a silence broken only by the whirr of the pro- 
peller, we saw her slide away from the Massachusetts' steel beak and 
simply touch her armor belt against the heavy steel sides of the big 
warship. There was a crashing and smashing of metal as our over- 
hanging eight-inch turret scraped away the catamaran, one of the heavy 
whaleboats, and four of the big steel davits of the Massachusetts, and 
then, as we slid gracefully away from her with only that damage done 
and the ship saved, there rose a roar of approval from both the men of 
the Brooklyn and those of the Massachusetts. Quick wit and coolness 
had prevented a great national calamity, for calamity it would have been 
had the Brooklyn been disabled for the remainder of the war, as she 
would have had she struck the Massachusetts' ram. 



m 




Copyright, 1902, by W. B. Coukey Company. 

^'A shell accidentally /lit the lighthouse' 
(xiv) 




?f^^ 



CHAPTER IV 
OFF TO SEA 

ON MAY the 13th, after having previously had word of the mag- 
nificent victory of Admiral Dewey at Manila, the Flying 
Squadron received orders to proceed to sea. It was about 1 :30 in the 
afternoon when the orders reached us, and at four o'clock, with hardly 
a flurry and as If a common duty were being performed, anchors had 
been raised and cleared, and the fleet moved down Hampton Roads and 
out to sea, a majestic procession of beautiful, formidable ships, whose 
future no one ashore who watched them move out, or no one aboard 
them, could determine. The New Orleans, which was detached from 
the squadron, was ordered to stay behind for the purpose of guarding 
the harbor, and the ships which followed the flag on the Brooklyn that 
day were the Texas, the Massachusetts, the Scorpion, the collier Mer- 
rimac (destined afterward to become famous), and one other smaller 
collier. 

SHIPS STRIPPED OF EVERYTHING ORNAMENTAL 

Never were ships of any navy in the world better prepared for 
active warfare, both as to their machinery, guns, ammunition, and esprit 
de corps, than were these. The great guns in the turrets were loaded 
and ready for action in case an enemy was suddenly sighted. The ships 
had been stripped of all their beautiful furniture, handsome woodwork, 
and everything ornamental or decorative that could possibly be spared, 
the only exception being the junior officers' piano, which they had man- 

87 



88 OFF TO SEA 

aged to Keep aboard. This piano, combined with the mandolin and 
guitar club formed by the ward room waiter boys, were our only sources 
of musical pleasure during the cruise, for we had no band aboard. 

But though we had lost our handsome furniture and all the decora- 
tive features that go to make a ship like the Brooklyn somewhat 
habitable, we had not forgotten our mascots. The marines had a pretty 
little fox terrier, which they claimed as their special good luck indicator, 
but naturally the marines' pet was not a particular favorite with the 
seamen. The sailors had " Old Billy," a very intelligent and deserving 
goat, who never failed to take advantage of an enemy when his back 
was turned or to revenge himself in quiet by chewing up some annoy- 
ing sailor's hammock. He was a much petted, though sometimes 
abused, goat. He wore a beautiful silver collar adorned with inscrip- 
tions of the many fracases he had been in and containing also a record 
of his cruises. He wore a coat when on inspection, of such varied 
colors as would undoubtedly have put Joseph's coat of many colors to 
shame, and he had full swing of the ship, going where any enlisted man 
could go if he so pleased. It may be said at this point that the success 
of the Brooklyn during the campaign was in some great measure due 
undoubtedly to Billy's presence aboard. 

SAILED UNDER SEALED ORDERS 

The orders under which we sailed from Hampton Roads were 
sealed ones. They were not opened until after we had rounded the 
cape and reached the open sea. It was then found that we were to 
proceed south to a point off the harbor of Charleston, where we would 
be communicated with by the Department for future instructions. 

As night came on, the fleet under orders made every preparation 
for meeting an enemy, Lights were doused, or in case of absolute 
necessity, were masked, as soon as darkness came, and even the guide 
light in the stern of each ship, used to keep her fellow behind from 



OFF TO SEA 89 

running up on her, was enclosed so it could only be seen by a ship 
directly astern. And with the guns loaded, the ships partially cleared 
for action, only the side ropes being up, and with the gun crews 
asleep at the breech of their guns, the fleet proceeded southward. 

OUR FIRST EXCITEMENT 

Eighty miles east and twenty miles south of Hatteras we had our 
first excitement. Just at dusk a steamer was sighted, and when, 
following a call to quarters and preparation for a fight, it was found she 
was a merchantman, the Scorpion was sent to intercept her. She 
proved to be the British steamer Elsie, bound to Norfolk with fertilizing 
rock, and the men sniffed contemptuously when they heard that she 
was not a prize. 

The following morning, Sunday, May 15th, we stopped off Charles- 
ton harbor and prepared to send the Scorpion in for dispatches, but just 
as we were going aboard of her, hoping to have a nice little excursion 
up to the city, the lighthouse signaled that she had the dispatches for us 
and would send them off by boat. The orders were obtained and found 
to be directions for us to proceed to Key West, where the Navy 
Department would further communicate with us. Monday, the 16th, 
was passed at sea with only one eventful incident happening, but one 
which went to demonstrate the perfect discipline aboard even when ter- 
rible danger threatened, and elucidate at the same time the fact that 
grave danger lurks at all times on a battleship and that the greatest pre- 
caution has to be momentarily exercised. 

THE MAGAZINE WAS ON FIRE 

It was about eleven o'clock on the night of the 16th, when only 
the watch on deck were active and when others in the ship were 
wrapped in slumber, that the bells began to clang violently. These 



90 OFF TO SEA 

bells are used for emergency calls, such as fire, collision or battle. 
Jumping from our berths in a half dazed condition, as we waked sud- 
denly from sound sleep, we grasped our revolvers and cartridge belts, 
and sticking our feet in our slippers, without waiting to don clothes, 
rushed up on deck. Everything was intense blackness, for the lights 
had not been turned on, no orders to that effect having been given. I 
had been told that I could go to the bridge in such an emergency, and 
immediately made my way to it. Commodore Schley, Captain Cook 
and Lieutenant-Commander Mason were there. None of them had 
given the alarm, and the officer of the deck said that he had not sent in 
the alarm, either for a torpedo boat, or the enemy's fleet. "Then one 
of the magazines must be overheated," said Mr. Mason, in as orderly a 
tone as though he were saying that breakfast would be served the next 
morning. And off he rushed to look after the thing, while we stood on 
that bridge for four or five minutes, clad only in our pajamas, slippers 
and war accoutrements, trying to pierce the tense blackness, and 
expecting to feel the bottom of the ship go out. 

THE SAILORS CARRIED OUT HOT AMMUNITION 

In a short time Mr. Mason reported to Captain Cook that a maga- 
zine next to a coal bunker had become overheated because of the fact 
that the coal in the bunker was on fire, and that the automatic alarm 
had gone off. " Have you flooded the magazine?" asked Captain Cook. 
"No, I have not,'' replied Mason. "The men are taking the ammuni- 
tion out so as to save it, and I have turned steam on in the bunker to 
extinguish the fire." 

And then I went below and saw a lot of sailors, working under a 
single electric light, removing from a hot magazine which might possibly 
have exploded at any moment, masses of ammunition that were already 
warm to the touch 




Copyright, 1902, by \V. B. Conkey Company. 

" The marines were in exposed positions'^ 




OFF TO SEA 93 

We steamed quietly into the liarbor at Key West, and dropped our 
anchors at midnight. And the next morning when the hundreds of 
newspaper men, hungry for information, looked from their hotel windows 
toward the bay, they saw the tall stacks and high military masts of the 
Brooklyn, and knew that the Flying Squadron and its commander had 
arrived. 

At ten o'clock that morning Comm.odore Schley transferred his flag 
to the Scorpion and v/ent up to Key West, where he reported to Com- 
modore Remy for further orders from the Department. Captain Samp- 
son, who had been ordered to raise his flag as a Rear-Admiral on the 
New York and who was in charge of the North Atlantic squadron, being 
absent on the Porto Rico expedition which proved so abortive, there 
was a hearty greeting between the two Commodores, while a fringe of 
newspaper men hovered around seeking for information which, even if 
they got, they found it pretty hard work to transmit to the United States. 

SCHLEY AND SAMPSON CONFER 

Telegraphic communications ensued between the Navy Depart- 
ment and Commodores Remy and Schley, and finally the latter was 
ordered to take his squadron and relieve the "mosquito fleet" before 
Havana. He returned to the Brooklyn, issued his orders to go to sea, 
and was making active preparations when the New York was sighted 
coming in beyond Dry Tortugas. Sampson had left his fleet, the war 
vessels of which were ruining their engines in dragging heavy monitors, 
and made a hurried run in to Key West in order to meet with and con- 
sult Schley. A long conference ensued on board the New York, and 
when Commodore Schley returned to his flagship he stated with a show 
of much gratification and much to our own pleasure, that we were going 
around the south side of Cuba to, if possible, find the Spanish fleet. 
He said that he and Admiral Sampson had discussed the possibility of 



94 OFF TO SEA 

a haven of refuge for the Spanish fleet on the southern coast and that 
they had both come to the conclusion that the harbor of Cienfuegos was 
the only practical place for him to go to, for it was the only southern 
port that had direct railroad communication with Havana, and it was 
highly probable that the fleet brought with them, according to our best 
information, arms and ammunition for the defense of Havana. 

SAMPSON ORDERED TO AVOID SHORE BATTERIES 

Captain Cook was present while Schley told this, as was also 
Lieutenant Sears, and he furthermore dwelt upon the point that Admiral 
Sampson had called his attention to the fact that he, Sampson, had con- 
fidential instructions from the secretary of the navy not to expose the 
ships to the fire of shore batteries until the calibre and the number of 
their guns were absolutely and definitely determined. 

The Commodore made particular allusion to the pleasantness of 
his conversation with Admiral Sampson and the fact that they had 
entirely agreed upon all subjects. He spoke to me particularly about 
this as a newspaper man, because there had been frequent rumors, 
some of them printed in the press of the country, that because of the 
promotion of Captain Sampson over the heads of Schley and several 
other ranking officers there would be a friction which could not be over- 
come. He told me in confidence that night that he had told Admiral 
Sampson that he would give him his very heartiest and sincerest sup- 
port, and he ended by saying in relation to the statements in the news- 
papers, " It is all absolutely ridiculous. We are all engaged in the 
same object, and we will all work together with a will." 

ORDERS FOR SEA OCCASION MUCH JOY 

When the news spread around the ships that night that we were 
to go to sea early the next morning and try and find the elusive fleet of 



OFF TO SEA 95 

Cervera, of which the government had no knowledge since its departure 
from the Verde Islands, there was great jubilation. I know in the ward 
room of the Brooklyn we celebrated in a mild, liquid way, and swore as 
to what we would do v/hen we caught the Spanish fleet at sea. Later 
in the evening Commodore Schley discussed with Captain Cook, in 
whom he greatly confided and whose judgment he accepted in many 
ways, his plans for the campaign. He was to take with him the Brook- 
lyn, the Texas, the Massachusetts, the Scorpion, and the two colliers, 
and one feature of his plan is worth explanation because he has been 
criticised for consuming too much time in proceeding from Key West 
to Cienfuegos. 

It was perfectly agreed in the cabin of the Brooklyn that night that 
the rendezvous should be Cienfuegos, and this was signaled to the 
remainder of the fleet. It was also agreed that the fleet should take a 
long detour to the south to reach Cienfuegos, so as to keep out of sight 
of the land that no indications of the destination of the fleet might be 
given to the hostile Spaniards in Cuba. 

THE FLEET TO BE STRENGTHENED 

The fleet as made up was hardly supposed to be capable of demol- 
ishing a Spanish squadron consisting of four battleships and two torpedo 
boats, although Commodore Schley never for a moment believed other- 
wise than that if he met them he could give them a pretty warm fight. 
It was agreed between Schley and Sampson that the Iowa, the Marble- 
head, and the Nashville would join us after they had repaired and 
coaled, a matter perhaps of twelve or twenty-four hours, and as there 
was no indication that the Spanish fleet was anywhere in the vicinity, it 
was easily probable that the entire fleet would rendezvous at Cienfuegos 
before the Spanish fleet arrived off the south coast. 

Thursday morning at eight o'clock, before the newspaper tugs 



96 OFF TO SEA 

had quite waked up, the Flying Squadron steamed out of the harbor of 
Key West toward the western end of Cuba on the hunt for Cervera's 
fleet. One solitary little tug boat, in aggressive red, and with the New 
York Journal flag flying from her flagstaff, began an heroic chase after 
us, and for four or five hours afforded us a great deal of amusement in 
her endeavors to make an eight-knot-an-hour boat keep up with a twelve- 
knot squadron. She struggled away at it heroically, however, until past 
noon, when she saw the hopelessness of her task, and when she was 
just about hull down we saw her turn around and make back toward 
Key West. 

COMMANDER M'CALLA'S AWFUL BLUNDER 

At 9:30 in the morning we had passed the Marblehead, in command 
of Commander McCalla, together with the converted yacht Eagle. They 
had been on the Cienfuegos blockade for several days, and Commander 
McCalla raised a signal as he approached us asking permission to pro- 
ceed. The Commodore signaled to the Scorpion to go over and see if 
they had any messages, and the Eagle approached to communicate with 
her. After a brief megaphone conversation, the Scorpion returned and 
repeated it by megaphone to us. Her officers said that Commander 
McCalla reported that he had broken the blockade at Cienfuegos; that 
the Nashville, Cincinnati, and Vesuvius were somewhere behind him, 
and that there was no news of the Spanish fleet. 

And here is where one of the serious blunders of the war was made. 
If McCalla had stopped long enough to have had direct communication 
with Commodore Schley, he would have undoubtedly delivered the 
message he should have delivered, detailing the fact that there was a 
code of communication established with the Cubans of Cienfuegos, 
whereby information as to what was transpiring in the city and harbor 
could be immediately obtained. 

We proceeded that night in battle order, and the morning of the 20th 



OFF TO SEA 99 

found us some way on our journey Early that morning we had a pecu- 
liar accident which came very nearly being an extremely serious one 
for the Brooklyn, had it not been for the coolness of the after eight-inch 
turret crew and of Lieutenant William E. Rush, who was in command 
of it. The after turret is turned by electricity, and the guns are also 
fired by the same force. The feed wire runs up in that part of the arc 
of the circle through which the turret does not turn. The turret was 
turned around too far and cut the wires, and in an instant, the wires, 
emitting a shower of sparks, were down on the floor of the turret amidst 
the great eight-inch powder bags. It was an intensely exciting and 
interesting moment; but Lieutenant Rush, seeing instantly the awful 
gravity of the situation, called to the men in as cool a voice as if he 
were ordering them to clean a gun, "Boys, pick those wires up." The 
men immediately obeyed the order, and picked up the four or five wires 
leading from the feed cable, holding them until the electrician came and 
patched them up. 



LofC. 



CHAPTER V 
CLEAR FOR ACTION 

" CMOKE, sir, on the horizon." 

\J Where away?" 

"Two points on the starboard bow " 

It was the lookout in the upper top of the big United States cruiser, 

calling to the officer on the bridge. Lieutenant Doyle, watch officer of 

the day, snapped out the tubes of the long telescope and swept the 

horizon. 

SUSPICIOUS SMOKE REPORTED BY LOOKOUT 

"Three columns of smoke, by hookey!" he exclaimed, as he 
excitedly jammed the brass tubes together again, and turning quickly to 
one of the two messengers, said sharply, "Messenger, report to Mr. 
Mason and Captain Cook that two or more steamers' smoke can be 
seen." 

Before the messenger jumps down from the high bridge of the 

Brooklyn, the ship astern has sent up a fluttering signal, "Suspicious 

smoke to the south," and while Mr. Doyle is calling to the signal officer 

of the bridge to answer it, Captain Cook and Lieutenant-Commander 

Mason have come there accompanied by a tall, slender man, full of 

nervous energy, and who wears a simple white linen suit, bearing no 

msignia of rank. 

A MOMENT OF SUSPENSE 

All three of them use their binoculars, but as yet only the clearly- 
defined columns of smoke are visible. 

101 



102 CLEAR FOR ACTION 

"There are four columns now, sir," said Lieutenant Doyle, and the 
slender man, with the iron-gray hair and moustaches, and the little 
grizzled Parisian imperial which his fingers nervously stroked as he 
intently gazed at the wavering clouds of smoke, suddenly replied, "Yes, 
and there's a mast, McConnell. What do you make of it?" 

McConnell, the reliable boatswain, held the big sea-glass in a 
steady hand, and looked long, earnestly; still once again he studied the 
suspects before replying with a note, almost of triumph, in his voice, 
"A warship, sir, by her rig." 

MAKING OUT A WARSHIP 

Still, but for the little, tense, excited group on the bridge, all was as 
usual. The big screws were thumping the water with monotonous and 
slow regularity. The men on the forward deck were lounging about, 
playing cribbage, sewing, or rummaging through their diddy boxes, and 
a very few had arisen and were taking some interest in the smoke 
clouds, which had now become visible to the naked eye. In the ward 
room the officers off duty were smoking and chatting, while from the 
junior officers' mess came the banging chords of a piano, and the lusty 
voices of the "youngsters" trolling out capstan-turning roundelays, 
interrupted now and then by a shout of laughter. 

Still like four statues on the bridge stood the four officers, glasses 
to eyes, while the long telescope of the quartermaster was pointed at 
the gray smoke curling along the horizon. 

" Keep her toward them," said the Commodore— for the gray-haired 
man was Schley— to Captain Cook, and the wheel went to port a few 

turns. 

"It's a warship, sir," interrupted McConnell, "but I can't make out 

her colors." 




\.^ 



\« 




Copyright, 1902, by W. B. Conkey Company. 

' ' They are all out and coining to the west ' 
(xvii) 



f^ 



CLEAR FOR ACTION 105 

"Go to quarters," directed the Commodore to Captain Cook, and 
then piclcing up the megaphone, he called, "After-bridge, there! Signal 
the fleet general quarters." 

"Call the musicians," said Mr. Mason sharply to the messenger, 
and the musicians came. Still the big floating arsenal and its hun- 
dreds of inmates were quiet, still the officers in the ward room chatted 
and smoked, while others had gone to their cabins for a nap, for this 
idle floating and watching for an enemy's fleet under the burning sun of 
a tropical sky was conducive to inertia. Inertia, yes, while all was at 
peace, but a moment later witnessed a transformation that spoke vol- 
umes for the training and make-up of Uncle Sam's fighting men. 

" Sound the call to general quarters," commanded Mr. Mason, and 
through the ship and out over the blue waters rolled a nerve-thrilling 
diapason of the drums, punctured and accentuated by the trumpet's 
shrill treble. 

LIKE RATS FOLLOWING THE PIED PIPER 

And as though vivified by an electric shock, the immense ship woke 
to life and action, and seemed to thrill with vitality and force. From 
the quarters poured forth men, dressing themselves as they came, 
never stopping for shoes or stockings ; jackies wearing but loose trou- 
sers and no shirt ; officers in old, comfortable linen coats and trousers, 
or in one or two instances, gorgeously-colored pajamas in which they 
had tumbled from their berths at the first sound of alarm, and buckling 
on their side arms as they ran to their posts. 

And so, like the rats follov/ing the whistle of the Pied Piper of 
Hamlin, the men came scurrying from every direction, while the siren 
shrieked forth its weird steam blast, the big gongs clanged, and the 
drums rolled, and, before the echo of the clamor had died away, every 
part of the ship, from the depths of the hold to the top of the high mili- 

6 



106 CLEAR FOR ACTION 

tary mast, was filled with active, bustling men, each in his appointed 
place, and each filling his special duty. 

Then again the megaphone was lifted, and over the decks came 
the strident command of Lieutenant-Commander Mason, ringing full of 
strength and energy, "Clear ship for action!" 

CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION 

There was nothing of the braggart in Schley's tone when, noticing 
me sitting on a board reaching from rail to rail of the bridge, he crossed 
over, and placing his hand on my shoulder, said, while his eyes 
sparkled with enthusiasm, "We've got them now, my boy, and we'll 
lick them." 

It was said with that quiet, extraordinary confidence in the ability 
of anything American to be unconquerable, which has always so strongly 
marked the Admiral's conception and appreciation of the American 
sailors' qualities. 

But I hardly heeded him, for 1 was keenly interested in watching 
the transformation going on below, the while my heart beating furiously 
somewhere up under the roof of my mouth, so that 1 had to swallow 
once in awhile to keep it in its right place. Along the decks, and 
wherever my eye could reach a kaleidoscopic change was going on, 
more wonderful and more rapid than ever magician's wand had 
accomplished in my boyhood books. 

FROM CHAOS TO ORDER 

When Mr. Mason had called "Clear ship for action," everything 
human of that crew of 500 men had begun to move swiftly. Imagine a 
village of 500 souls being suddenly startled and turned out by a quick 
call that an enemy was approaching and that some defense must be 
made. Picture the dire confusion that would result. But here, in a 



^ CLEAR FOR ACTION 107 

little less than five minutes of what seemed to be wildest chaos the 
whirl stopped as suddenly as it had begun, and Mr. Rush, in command 
of the second division, including the after eight-inch turret and the port 
eight-inch turret, reported, "All ready, second division, sir," and follow- 
ing him in quick succession came the report of each division officer. 

READY TO FIGHT 

The great ironclad was ready to fight, and the bugler blew 
"Silence!" while the men, at a fearful tension, the most difficult, nerve- 
testing period of the whole situation, awaited orders. 

From the funnels of each ship in the fleet were pouring forth great 

masses of black smoke; the engines were humming faster, and you 

began to tingle with a desire to be part of this monster of war and its 

activity. 

THE DETAIL OF CLEARING A SHIP 

And what v/as done during the five elapsed minutes by this quiet 
throng of human beings? A tremendous engine of war had been put 
in shape to hurl death and destruction in a manner marvelous in its 
immensity. 

At the note of warning 500 men had, in perfect order, taken their 
various stations and began the work of "clearing ship for action." 
They had closed over 200 water-tight doors, thus making compartments 
that would keep the ship afloat even though some of them might be 
injured. They had coupled all the hose to fire plugs; covered the small 
boats with wet canvas to keep them from flying splinters if hit; put up 
protection-nets of rope about the pilot-house, gun sponsons, and other 
exposed places; taken down davits, hand-rails, and anchor hoists, and 
laid them on the deck so as to give the guns a clear sweep; removed 
everything movable or destructible from the deck; battened down all 
hatches with steel covers; lowered all interfering ventilating pipes; 



108 CLEAR FOR ACTION 

dropped overboard small boats, gangways, paint buckets, and other 
deck furniture, filled all division tubs with fresh water; lashed the anchors 
more securely, and furnished all the extra mechanical devices necessary 
for the service of the guns. 

THE BIG ENGINES COUPLED 

Down in the heart of the vessel the engineers had coupled the four 
big engines and turned steam on in the seventy-five auxiliary engines. 
All of the big boilers had been fired up, and the stokers were pouring in 
coal upon flames that already burned the clothes and skin, so hot were 
they. The dynamos had been put in service to work battle-circuits; the 
turret-turning engines tried; the ammunition hoist engines and steering 
engines, fire-pumps and ventilating and force-draught blowers made 
ready. Two thirds of the engineer corps had remained in the main 
engine and fire rooms, while the remaining one third were distributed at 
the auxiliary engines. 

MAGAZINES OPENED AND AMMUNITION DISTRIBUTED 

Magazines had been opened, and preparation made for ammunition 
shipment to each of the forty guns by the hoists and cars arranged for 
fast delivery. In the fighting tops of the military mast, men had hoisted 
up ammunition for the one-pounders and were standing ready by their 
guns. On the bridges the signal men, range-finders, and searchlight 
men were grouped, already at work. In the pilot-house or conning 
tower were men at the wheel, with others at the speaking tubes and 
similar devices which control the ship by signal. 

In the sick-bay the surgeons had arranged their cases of glittering 
instruments, rolls of lint, splints, bandages, and antiseptics; had covered 
tables with rubber, and everywhere were grewsome suggestions of 
possible disaster to some and death for many. 




Copyright, 1902, by W. B. Conkey Company. 

" The crew was at muster'" 
(xviii) 



^'7^ 




CLEAR FOR ACTION 111 

In the torpedo rooms gratings had been removed, and pneumatic 
pressure turned on for the purpose of charging the air flasks; the heavy 
torpedoes rolled in and the tubes prepared. 

OLD GLORY HOISTED AT EACH TRUCK 

And lastly, the American flag, Old Glory, that had floated from the 
flagstaff at the stern of the ship, came down with the staff, while two 
Stars and Stripes took its place at the truck of each of the military 
masts, the breeze blowing through their folds which waved defiance to 
an enemy. 

From each ship down the line, from old Massachusetts just astern 
of us, the Texas further along, and the Scorpion in the rear, came the 
signal, " All ready for action," and Schley's hand came down on his 
thigh in self-congratulation as he thought of the readiness which this 
small squadron showed to meet an enemy believed to be superior. 

"Silence!" blew the bugle, and there was a death-like stillness. 

"Load!" came another signal, and there was a second's bustle as 
the charges were rammed home in the big guns. 

Then "Silence!" again came the order, and the guns were ready 
for use at the word "Fire!" 

"Can you make out her colors, McConnell?" asked Commodore 
Schley, in a low tone. 

Again the long glass was raised for a searching study of the bit of 
bunting waving in the distance, and Lieutenant Hodgson, the Brooklyn's 
navigating officer, who had come on the bridge, also took a look. 

"Looks to me like the American flag," said Hodgson, with a grin, 
as he handed over the glass to McConnell. 

A look of disappointment spread over the countenances of the offi- 
cers, and, as I gazed down at the eager, alert faces and tense positions 
of the men below, I realized the bitter blow a vanishing foe would prove 
to them. 



112 CLEAR FOR ACTION 

Slowly the superstructure and the hulls of the approaching vessels 
rose above the horizon, and then the faithful McConnell lowered his 
glass, and with regret the echo of every v/ord announced, "The Cincin- 
nati and the Vesuvius, sir. It's the American flag." 

"Make fast. Cook," said Schley dolefully, and at Flag-Lieutenant 
Sears' orders, the signal men notified the squadron, while up from the 
decks below came a long sigh of regret not altogether unmixed with 
sarcastic reference to the approaching war vessels. 

One thing, however, had been proved. The fleet was ready and 
anxious to meet the enemy, and that meant victory. 

My heart got back to its normal place while the two warships 
approached, and officers and men returned sulkily to their duty, restor- 
ing the ship to its normal condition. 

CINCINNATI WAS READY TO FIGHT 

When Captain Chester of the Cincinnati finally steamed alongside 
of us, he told us how he too was preparing to fight us, at which the 
men laughed grimly. 

"Have you seen the Spanish fleet?" called Commodore Schley. 

"No," answered Chester. "I don't think you ought to meet them 
with that small squadron." 

"Small be d — d," replied Schley. "We'll lick them when we do 
meet them. If you see them," he added jocularly, "tell them we're 
looking for them and we'll give them a warm welcome," and the sailors 
on deck roared a cordial approval. 

CAPTAIN CHESTER VISITS THE COMMODORE 

Captain Chester asked permission to come aboard, and the squad- 
ron stopped for a short time while he visited with the Commodore. He j 
was quite interesting in his conversation, telling how they had practically 



CLEAR FOR ACTION 113 

turned night into day in blockading along the coast so as to intercept any 
vessels which might bring provisions or arms into Cuba. 

I remember his giving a very curious description of our Cuban 
allies. He said that they seemed to have no particular use for the 
Americans unless clothes, food, or ammunition were forthcoming. So 
far they had been of no great assistance in either obtaining information 
ashore or in acting in an aggressive manner toward the Spaniards. 
Captain Chester was certainly not favorably impressed with them to 
any degree. 

CAPTAIN CHESTER WANTED TO JOIN SQUADRON 

The captain of the Cincinnati was very desirous of going with the 
Flying Squadron, but he admitted that he would have to coal within 
twenty-four or forty-eight hours at the very outside. He said that if 
Commodore Schley would allow him to take the collier which was 
coming down to us up under Cape San Antonio, he could coal there, 
and that would save him going back to Key West. Commodore Schley 
responded that he did not care to delay the fleet that long, and that in 
addition he did not have any orders or any authority to detach the Cin- 
cinnati from the duties she was then performing and attach it to the 
Flying Squadron. Captain Chester was very much disappointed, say- 
ing that his work off Cape San Antonio was very tedious, and that he 
had no news of any character except what he happened to pick up from 
passing vessels, which were not very numerous. 

Commodore Schley called his attention to the fact that we had lost 
one of our colliers as we came around from Charleston, and that if he 
happened to come across it he might coal from it. 

Captain Chester took regretful leave of Commodore Schley, return- 
ing to his own ship, and we continued our journey toward Cienfuegos, 
keeping, as was the Commodore's policy, out of sight of the land until 
such time as we should get very close to our destination. 



.114 CLEAR FOR ACTION 

The afternoon and the night of May 20th were uneventful, but on 
the morning of the 2 1st we sighted a bark and two steamers on the hori- 
zon line. They evidently saw us about the same time, for they changed 
their course and disappeared before we even had a chance to start to 
chase them. A little bit of excitement on the 2 1st was caused by the 
discovery of a fire below deck forward on the Scorpion, supposed to 
have been caused by a broken electric wire, but it burned quite fiercely 
for a short time. It was pretty near where her ammunition boxes were 
stored, and under orders from Commodore Schley, the Brooklyn was 
slowed down and brought alongside of the Scorpion, so that we could 
use a fire hose on her if necessary. 

However, Commander Marix's crew, with a great display of activ- 
ity, succeeded in getting it under control, although it required heroic 
efforts. The dense smoke below deck made it hard to fight the fire, and 
several men were overcome and had to be rescued by their comrades 
before the flames were entirely subdued. One officer, whose name I 
do not recollect now, was also badly overcome, and was ill for some time. 

The weather was now beginning to get intensely warm, the tropic 
sun beating down upon the steel warships and making them hardly 
habitable. During the day we would lounge upon deck and manage to 
keep somewhat comfortable, particularly if there was a light breeze. 
But at night, with the steel port covers closed down so as to prevent the 
enemy from discovering us by any glimmer of light, the quarters below 
deck were like Turkish baths. Luckily, on the Brooklyn we had an ice 
machine, which worked fairly well, and the more fortunate officers had 
electric fans in their rooms. At midnight of the 21st, the navigating 
officer reported that we were not more than tv/elve miles from Cienfue- 
gos harbor, and signal was made to the squadron to reduce speed to two 
and one-half knots, which was barely moving, so that when morning 
came we would be in position off the harbor of Cienfuegos. 




^5v\^>^j^, 



CHAPTER VI 
OFF CIENFUEGOS 

THE morning of May 22d, the squadron steamed in to within 3,000 
yards of the harbor entrance of Cienfuegos, and from the flag- 
ship we could distinctly see Spaniards with small boats evidently 
engaged in placing mines across the harbor entrance. It was our first 
close view of Cuban shores, and there was nothing particularly inviting 
about them. The mountains ran up to a great height sheer from the 
shore and a heavy surf broke along the entire coast-line in almost unin- 
terrupted continuity, practically forbidding the landing of small boats, 
unless they went in the harbor itself. 

HEAVY FIRING HEARD ON SHORE 

On deck, that morning. Boatswain Hill and Lieutenant Simpson, 
who had been the officer of the watch the night previous, reported that 
they had heard heavy firing on shore during the previous evening. 
Captain Cook reported this to Commodore Schley, who was on the 
bridge at the time making a survey of the harbor entrance, and the 
Commodore replied that he had also heard the firing of big guns at such 
intervals as would seem to indicate the arrival of a fleet. 

BLOCKADING THE HARBOR 

The general supposition, therefore, upon our ship, was that the 
Snanish fleet had arrived in the harbor, and that upon their entering 

117 



118 OFF CIENFUEGOS 

they had been saluted, or had saluted a flag. Commodore Schley 
ordered a signal to be made to the other vessels announcing that he 
had heard such a salute. The squadron was brought around so that 
the broadsides pointed toward the harbor entrance, although there was 
some little movement of feigned disorder with the hopes that the enemy, 
if they were within the harbor, would notice it and make an attempt to 
come out. It must be remembered that it v/as not a very formidable 
squadron. There were two battleships — the Massachusetts, a first- 
class, and the Texas, a second-class ; one armored cruiser, the Brooklyn, 
and one converted yacht, the Scorpion. As a fighting squadron it was 
not to be compared with the one supposed to be in the harbor, and if it 
had developed into a fact that the Spanish squadron was really there and 
had they sought to come out fighting their ships with any sort of 
strategical force, it is a serious question whether they would not have 
been able to have escaped with a portion of their fleet. The supposi- 
tion was that they had with them three torpedo boats. There were also 
presumed to be in the harbor four first-class armored cruisers with 
better protection and larger guns than our armored cruiser, the Brooklyn, 
and, in fact, equal in protection and armament to our second-class 
battleship, the Texas, and all of them with an accredited speed much 
greater than any of our ships except the Brooklyn. 

A PLAN OF ACTION FORMULATED 

We discussed this thing on the deck of the Brooklyn that morning. 
It was pointed out that we did not have a single torpedo boat, and that 
our only hope of whipping the Spaniards, if they chose to start out, was 
in concentrating such a heavy fire upon the first vessel that came out 
of the narrow entrance that we would disable or sink her and then 
follow out the same plan with the others, if they could manage to come 
by her. 



OFF CIENFUEGOS 119 

So far we had not seen anything of the scouts, the Minneapolis, 
St. Paul, Harvard, and the St. Louis, all of which had been sent down 
there a week before to locate, if possible, the Spanish fleet, and Com- 
modore Schley believing that perhaps they might be in the vicinity of 
Santiago harbor, detached and dispatched the Scorpion to go down to 
that point and communicate with them if they could be found. 

PASSING THE HARBOR ENTRANCE 

During the morning we passed twice in front of the harbor entrance 
in column, and Commodore Schley and Lieutenant Hodgson, the navi- 
gator of the Brooklyn, from the crow's nest at the top of the military 
mast, with binoculars and long glass, attempted to look into the harbor. 
At one point the top of ships' masts could be seen, and several columns 
of smoke were visible. But it was extremely hard to get anything like 
a clear view of the harbor, because the principal part of it was behind a 
point that projected to the eastward. 

At one o'clock that day the Iowa arrived, having completed her 
coaling operation at Key West and making somewhat better time down 
than we did, because she did not have to stop or communicate with 
other ships and had made a closer line to shore than we. Captain 
Evans seeing no necessity for deceiving those on shore. 

A LETTER FROM SAMPSON 

In the morning the Dupont arrived, bringing dispatches from 
Admiral Sampson directing that the blockade of Cienfuegos be pre- 
served, and notifying Commodore Schley to communicate with the 
scouts off Santiago for information. It was this torpedo boat that 
brought the personal letter to Commodore Schley, which began "Dear 
Schley," and which complimented the Commodore upon the work he 
had done so far, and told him that although the Navy Department's idea 



120 OFF CIENFUEGOS 

was that the fleet was in Santiago harbor, he, Sampson, still believed 
Cienfuegos was the objective point, and advised Schley not to leave 
that place until he was absolutely certain that the Spanish squadron 
was not there or coming there. This advice was very contrary to the 
orders of the Department, which specifically directed Sampson to order 
Schley to proceed at once to Santiago. 

Secretary Long had sent to Sampson on May 19th this dispatch : 

Sampson, Naval Station, Key West, Fla.: 

The report of the Spanish fleet being at Santiago de Cuba might 
very v/ell be correct, so the Department strongly advises that you send 
word immediately by the Iowa to Schley to proceed at once off Santiago 
de Cuba with his whole command, leaving one small vessel off Cien- 
fuegos, Cuba, and meanwhile the Department will send the Minneapolis, 
now at St. Thomas, and Harvard to proceed at once off Santiago de 
Cuba to join Schley, who should keep up communications via Nicolas 
Mole or Cape Haytien. If Iowa has gone, send orders to Schley by 
your fastest dispatch vessel. Long. 

SAMPSON DISOBEYS ORDERS OF NAVY DEPARTMENT 

Instead of obeying this, and failing to consider that the Department 
with very many more lines out for the gathering of news had much 
better information than he, Sampson, had, the Admiral sent by the 
Dupont a practical order to Schley to remain off Cienfuegos, and 
addressed this communication to the Navy Department: 

Key West, May 20, 1898. 
Secretary of Navy, Washington: 

Referring to the Department's telegram of May 19, 58 cipher 
words, beginning "verberabam," after considering information contained 
therein have decided in favor of plan already adopted to hold position, 
Cienfuegos, with Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Texas, Iowa, Marblehead, 
Castine, Dupont, and two auxiliary vessels. There are remaining the 
New York, Indiana, and monitors for Havana. These latter are very 
inefficient and should not be sent from base. I have directed Schley to 
communicate with auxiliary vessels at Santiago, and direct one of them 








Copyright, 190'2, by W. B. Conkey Company. 

" The Oregon was coming to help the Brooklyn"" 
(xx) 




OFF CIENFUEGOS 123 

to report from Mole or Cape Haytien, then to return to Santiago and 
report further at Cienfuegos or Havana as they consider best. The 
plan may be changed when it becomes certain a Spanish fleet is at 
Santiago. Sampson. 

ORDERED SCHLEY TO SANTIAGO 

But the next day Admiral Sampson evidently had a change of heart, 
and he dispatched the Hawk to find Schley and order him to move to 
Santiago, while he sent the Department a dispatch dated May 21st, 
saying that he had finally ordered Schley to go to Santiago de Cuba. 
But while his dispatch to the Secretary of the Navy read as follows: 

Key West, Fla., May 21, 1898. 
Secretary of the Navy, Washington: 

Schley has been ordered to Santiago de Cuba. Sampson. 

the truth was that the dispatches sent by the Hawk were not distinct 
and definite orders at all for Schley to move to Santiago. The fact of 
the matter was that the dispatch read, "If you are satisfied that the 
Spanish fleet is not at Cienfuegos, proceed with all dispatch to Santiago." 
The Hawk, with these dispatches, arrived together with the Castine, 
a gunboat, and the Merrimac, the collier, on the morning of the 23d. In 
the meantime no communication had been established with the shore, 
the high surf preventing the landing of a boat, and peculiar signals seen 
at night giving us the impression that the coast was guarded and that 
the enemy was keeping up signals with the fleet in the harbor so as to 
notify them of our every movement. 

SCHLEY'S BLOCKADE QUITE EFFECTIVE 

The blockade, as established by Commodore Schley, considering 
the smallness of his squadron, was quite effective. A picket line was 
placed inside, about two miles from shore, consisting variously of the 
Scorpion, Dupont, and Castine; while the Brooklyn, Massachusetts, 
Texas, and Iowa formed a line about four miles from the harbor entrance. 



124 OFF CIENFUEGOS 

The curious part of the situation was that while, as afterward discov- 
ered, the Spanish fleet had been in Santiago for six days, the four fast 
scouts were absolutely in ignorance of it and were daily sending 
dispatches to the Department. Captain Cotton, of the Harvard, on the 
25th telegraphed Secretary Long as follows: 

Left the Yale and St. Paul at Santiago May 24. Minneapolis has 
gone to report to Schley at Cienfuegos. Yale reconnoitered Santiago 
de Cuba May 21. He reports fortified strongly. Saw nothing in harbor. 
I have not seen the Spanish fleet. Have not ascertained anything 
respecting recent movements the Spanish fleet. Proceed for coal to 
Key West May 26. 1 have only 450 tons of coal. The Minneapolis 
must coal within the next few days. Yale early next week. Schley 
directs me to inform the Department Sampson decided to have the com- 
mand of Schley stationed off Cienfuegos and his own off Havana. The 
Minneapolis reconnoitered San Juan, Porto Rico, May 21. Spanish 
fleet not there. 

SCOUT SHIPS FAIL TO LOCATE SPANISH FLEET 

The criticism has been applied that within a day after Schley arrived 
at Cienfuegos, and again within a day after he arrived at Santiago, he 
should have determined by shore communication the exact location of 
Cervera's fleet. But these four scouts had been in the vicinity of 
Santiago since May 18th, and in one case, that of Captain Sigsbee, and 
according to another case as quoted above, that of Captain Wise, of the 
Yale, had reported with almost absolute positiveness that there v/ere no 
indications of the Spanish fleet being in that vicinity. And yet in com- 
fortable berths, cleaning their bottoms and getting on a supply of coal, 
securely hidden behind the high hills, the Spanish fleet of Cervera had 
been anchored in Santiago harbor. 

SCHLEY THOUGHT FLEET WAS IN CIENFUEGOS 

This was the exact situation on May 22d, when Commodore Schley 
decided to take the advice of Admiral Sampson and remain at Cienfue- 
gos. The most serious part of the problem naturally was the coaling of 



OFF CIENFUEGOS 125 

our warships, which will be treated of in a separate chapter. The inde- 
cision of Sampson, and his failure to carry out the definite orders of the 
Department, were not entirely the reasons, however, why Schley 
remained at Cienfuegos. He himself still believed that the Spanish fleet 
was either inside the harbor, or that he would catch them at sea trying 
to go in, and this opinion of his was further strengthened at noon on the 
23d, when the British steamer Adula, of the Atlas line. Captain William 
Walker, approached us and asked permission to go in the harbor. 

ALLOWED BRITISH STEAMER TO ENTER HARBOR 

Captain Walker stated that he was under orders from United States 
Consul Dent at Kingston to bring away one Hoffern, a sailor of the 
U. S. S. Niagara, who was in the Spanish hospital with a broken leg. 
And then this British captain told us a story which practically firmly con- 
vinced the Commodore that the Spanish fleet was not in Santiago, and 
that if he desired absolute information as to whether they were in that 
harbor or in the harbor of Cienfuegos, it would be wise to allow the 
Adula to go in and wait for her to come out, compelling her captain, if 
possible, to give us information. 

The British captain had said that on the night of the 18th he 
counted seven ships by the lights they carried, about seventy miles south 
one-half west of Santiago. The next day it had been reported at King- 
ston, Jamaica, that the Spanish fleet was at Santiago, but on the day 
following, May 20th, they had left and gone to Cienfuegos. He volun- 
teered the further information that the harbor of Cienfuegos was 
defended with electric mines which did not work well, but that the oper- 
ations we had noticed were the replacing of those mines with contact 
mines. He said there were two little gunboats and one torpedo boat in 
the harbor, and that there was plenty of room for the Spanish fleet to lie 
out of sight of any vessels passing the harbor entrance. 



126 OFF CIENFUEGOS 

Captain Walker promised that if he went in he would not be gone 
over three hours. He was allowed to proceed, and when three o'clock 
came the Commodore began to look anxiously for the British steamer, 
expecting to get the coveted information regarding the Spanish ships. 
Four o'clock came; five o'clock came, and then darkness; but the Adula 
appeared not. And, finally, more than ever Schley was convinced that 
the Spanish fleet was at Cienfuegos, and that they had purposely held 
the Adula in the harbor so that we would not be able to gain any 
information. 

The Hawk left with mail that night, and again we saw on the shore 
several times at different places the three white, bright lights which 
looked like Spanish signals. 

SHIPS AGAIN CLEARED FOR ACTION 

On the morning of the 24th, just after daybreak, there was a 
general call to quarters, ships were cleared for action, and once more 
we believed that the will-o'-the-wisp fleet of Spain had been found by us, 
and that we were going to have a sea fight. Once more, however, we 
were deceived, and the three vessels which approached us proved to be 
the unprotected cruiser Marblehead, and the two converted yachts, the 
Eagle and the Vixen. 

COMMANDER McCALLA EXPLAINS SIGNAL LIGHT 

When Commander McCalla, of the Marblehead, reported aboard, 
Commodore Schley told him of the suspicious movements of the Adula, 
and then spoke of the noticing of signal lights on the shore at night. 
McCalla said in an evidently very much surprised way, "Why, those 
were signals from the insurgents who desired to communicate with you. 
Didn't you know about that?" 

"No," said Schley, shortly. And for a few moments I thought his 









Copyright, 1902, by W. B. Conkey Company. 

" The Brooklyn and Oregon were bow and quarter''' 
(xxi) 





^^^% 




OFF CIENFUEGOS 129 

temper would get the better of him and that he would say something 
ugly. He stamped up and down the quarter-deck, twitching nervously 
at his little imperial, and grinding his heels savagely down on the deck. 

"Why in the world didn't you tell me about this?" he said to 
McCalla. "Here I have been waiting two or three days to get definite 
information from the shore." 

McCalla said something about the matter having slipped his mind 
when he passed Schley Sunday morning. 

SPANISH FLEET NOT IN CIENFUEGOS 

The Adula had not yet come out, so Schley ordered McCalla to go 
down and communicate with the insurgents at the spot where the lights 
had been shown. McCalla went down, and in a few hours returned 
with the information that the insurgents were in need of arms, provi- 
sions and ammunition, and with the still more important news that the 
Spanish squadron was not in the harbor. 

Schley at once said, "We will move to Santiago." 
In the afternoon the Brooklyn transferred 3,000 rounds of ammu- 
nition, some clothing and food, three dry-cell batteries, and 100 pounds 
of gun-cotton to the Marblehead, and ordered her to convey them to the 
insurgents, the gun-cotton and batteries to be used for the explosion of 
the mines in the harbor. 

SQUADRON MOVES TOWARD SANTIAGO 

At eight o'clock that night, after sending the torpedo boat Dupont to 
communicate with Sampson at Havana and ordering the Castine to 
remain in front of Cienfuegos and await the return of the Scorpion, the 
squadron began to move toward Santiago. 

The first movement was to the southeast so as to deceive the 
Spaniards ashore as to the direction in which we were going; and then, 
after an hour in that way, we pointed directly east, still in pursuit of the 



130 OFF CIENFUEGO^ 

elusive squadron, the exact location of which was puzzling all our fleets 
and all our scouts. 

COMPELLED TO REDUCE SPEED OF SQUADRON 

During Wednesday, May 25th, Commodore Schley attempted to 
keep the squadron up to a speed of twelve knots, but the weather was 
very heavy, and because of the Eagle and the Vixen, the two converted 
yachts, and the collier Merrimac with broken engines, he was compelled 
to reduce the speed to not more than eight knots. He was excessively 
exasperated over this, and yet, as he said to Captain Cook, " I suppose 
I might leave them, but if that fleet is anywhere in this vicinity, it 
wouldn't be safe or decent to leave part of my squadron, and so I'll have 
to stay with them." 

The squadron consisted at this time of the Brooklyn, Massachu- 
setts, Texas, Iowa, Marblehead, Vixen, Eagle, and the collier Merrimac. 
All day long there was a heavy northeast gale, and the small yachts 
simply wallowed in the heavy sea. 

The morning of Thursday, May 26th, found us at eight o'clock 
about eighty miles to the west of Santiago, and still in heavy weather. 
Finally Schley became so exasperated at the slow speed that he ordered 
the Eagle to do the best she could to get over to Jamaica, coal there, 
and go back to Key West. 

THE MERRIMAC DISABLED 

At two p. m. we were forty miles from Santiago. The collier 
Merrimac was disabled by the breaking of her intermediate pressure 
valve stem and the cracking of the stuffing box. This served as a 
further embarrassment to the squadron and the source of considerable 
anxiety, as, with the weather conditions that had prevailed since leaving 
Cienfuegos, it appeared absolutely necessary to abandon the position off 



OFF CIENFUEGOS 131 

Santiago and seek a place where the vessels could be coaled and the 
collier's machinery repaired. 

At six o'clock we had arrived at a point off Santiago harbor, with 
the heavy weather still continuing. We sighted, a few minutes after 
that hour, the Minneapolis, the St. Paul, and the Yale, the three scouts 
that had been sent there by the government to locate Cervera's 
squadron. None of them reported having any knowledge of the Spanish 
fleet. 




Copyright, I'JOi, by \V. B. Coiikey Company. 

''Don't tJirow that body overboard' 
(xxii) 




W\:^m^i^^. 



CHAPTER VII 

COALING 

|V/1UCH as the layman might reason to himself that ammunition, 
I Jl guns, and men are the practical sinews of war, an experience 
like this which Commodore Schley and his squadron were going 
through would seem to combat that theory, for it proved conclusively 
that one of the most important sinews is coal. 

DIFFICULTIES OF COALING 

Here were three great scout ships, burning among them 300 tons 
of coal each day; three battleships, an armored cruiser, and two 
auxiliaries, 1,000 miles from their base of supplies, with but one small 
collier to supply their needs in the coal line, and a heavy sea running 
with a head wind, so that it was extremely dangerous and difficult work 
for the collier to go along-side of the massive warships. 

Cold boilers, and therefore useless engines, would not make a very 
good showing if the Spanish fleet were to appear; and even if the case 
did not become as serious as that, a depleted coal supply would have 
forbade us chasing the Spanish squadron very far if they had managed 
to touch anywhere and coal. The Iowa, very curiously, had not stopped 
at Key West long enough to obtain a full coal supply, although there 
was every facility there for that purpose, and she would not have been 
delayed a sufficient time to cause the squadron any trouble. The Texas 
was partially out of coal, and the little converted yachts and the 

135 



136 COALING 

Marblehead with only small bunkers, could not hold enough to keep 
them in good form more than two or three days at a time. 

THE COLLIER MERRIMAC A «« HOODOO" 

The collier was the Merrimac, and it was a cause of favorable 
comment any day after she had joined us, if, at least every five hours, 
she did not report some trouble with her boilers, engines, or steering 
gear. 

Twice during the 26th we had made short stops, and attempted to 
coal the ships. They would get a little bit of coal in them from the 
collier, and then, up would go a string of signal flags announcing that 
the collier was getting knocked to pieces by the pounding against the 
heavy sides of the warships. The facilities for coaling from the collier 
were absolutely of the worst character. The Navy had always managed 
to coal from docks at supply stations prior to this, so the ships were not 
provided with anything which would make coaling from a collier in the 
open sea an easy matter. The colliers themselves had been sent for- 
ward without attention having been paid to seemingly any detail except 
that of putting a supply of coal aboard. Old wooden fenders, which 
were shredded into pulp in a very brief period, were all the defense 
which the light iron collier had from the great armored sides and pro- 
truding gun sponsons of the warships. The Texas, which needed coal, 
was the worst offender in this matter of smashing the collier. Her 
protruding twelve-inch gun sponsons, on either port or starboard, would 
invariably come down with a crash on the side of the small collier, if a 
heavy sea rolled the two vessels while they were fastened together. 

IMPOSSIBLE TO COAL TEXAS— FACING THE SITUATION 

Everything seemed to indicate that a vessel with tumble-in sides, 
like the Brooklyn, was very much better for coaling purposes at sea 



COALING 137 

than were the heavy warships with overhanging sponsons. But, of 
course, Commodore Schley had to face the situation in the v/ay in which 
he found it, and the weather seemed to be in that beastly state where 
no abatement for smoothing down the sea could be expected. 

FUTILE ATTEMPTS TO COAL SHIP 

The Commodore would come on deck in the morning, take a look 
at the sea and the wind, and then signal the Texas, "Can you coal to- 
day?" Much doubtfulness would be expressed in the answer of 
Captain Philip, "1 will try." Then, eight chances to ten. when the 
collier was ordered to report alongside of the Texas, her captain would 
answer back, "She has broken down; it will be some time before we 
can get alongside you." Over would go the chief engineer of the 
Brooklyn with a disgusted crew of mechanics, and in a little while the 
Merrimac would report that she was ready to go alongside. Then we 
would watch the two ships grinding and crashing against each other as 
they attempted to transfer the coal, the collier using her derrick to put 
the coal upon the battleship's deck. 

STORMY WEATHER AHEAD 

All this time the Commodore was inclined to be nervous over the 
weather. The maps and weather information furnished us, all indicated 
that this was about the period for the beginning of the hurricane season, 
and a couple of pilots from Cuba, who had been picked up by the St. 
Paul, accentuated this idea and gave the Commodore to understand that 
the weather, if it did not really get worse, would not very much improve. 
Speaking of this himself. Commodore Schley has said : 
"Of course, 1 used to be very weatherwise, but I am rather other- 
wise now, and 1 cannot guess the weather as well as 1 could. I had no 
reason to suppose that the weather would not be pretty much of the 



138 COALING 

same character, as it was near the hurricane season, and the trade 
winds blew along that coast almost continuously, and, while it was pos- 
sible off Santiago to coal in the morning, it was frequently not possible 
in the afternoon when the breezes freshened up." 

A LOST OPPORTUNITY 

Perhaps the entire difficulty over this coaling business might have 
been obviated had Captain Sigsbee, of the St. Paul, have known that we 
were approaching Santiago. For, just as ill-luck would have it, only 
twelve hours before we arrived, he had disposed of a splendid collier 
which he had captured, a collier which had all the modern facilities for 
coaling warships. He had sent it over as a prize to Key West. 
Captain Sigsbee's own description of the capture of this collier and its 
disposition are here given : 

CAPTURE COLLIER WITH COAL FOR SPANISH FLEET 

"On the morning of the 25th I gave chase to a steamer standing 
in at a good rate of speed for Santiago harbor, and managed to intercept 
her just out of gunshot of the entrance, about six a. m. The sea being 
somewhat rough, we boarded her with some difficulty, and directed her 
to steam out to the offing. She proved to be the British steamer 
Restormel, from Cardiff, Wales, with coal, evidently for the Spanish 
fleet. She had been at San Juan, Porto Rico, thence to Curacao, where 
she was informed that the Spanish fleet had left two days before her 
arrival. She was then directed to proceed to Santiago de Cuba. Her 
captain stated frankly that he expected to be captured. Both her 
captain and crew exhibited great good-nature on being captured, and 
seemed rather pleased at the result. I sent her to Key West, via 
Yucatan Channel, with an ample prize crew in charge of Acting- 
Lieutenant J. A. Pattson, U. S. N., of the St. Paul. The Restormel 




Copyright, 1902, by W. B. Conkey Company. 

''''The flag was almost shot away' 
(xxiii) 



COALING 141 

had on board 2,400 tons of coal, and seemed to be an excellent vessel. 
Her master said that at Porto Rico he had left two other colliers, which 
he stated in conversation he hoped would be captured also. I under- 
stood that these three colliers were from the same company and under 
similar instructions." 

SCHLEY INFORMS THE DEPARTMENT 

It is very possible that had this steamer been kept, a great amount 
of the difficulty connected with our coaling operations would have dis- 
appeared, and we should have been able to remain off the harbor of 
Santiago at least until some definite orders were received from the Navy 
Department. 

As it was, we made several attempts that day to coal, but all to no 
avail. And, finally, the collier broke down altogether, and at six o'clock, 
after hearing the reports of the officers and scouts that the Spanish fleet 
was not at Santiago, Commodore Schley sent a dispatch to the Depart- 
ment detailing the condition of wsather and the difficulties of coaling 
unless there was abatement. 

NAVAL OFFICERS REPORT CERVERA NOT IN SANTIAGO 

I am not intending to convey the impression here that the move- 
ment to the westward away from Santiago was altogether because of the 
failure of the ships to coal ; for, although the Eagle and the Minneapo- 
lis were compelled to leave us — the former having but twenty-five tons 
of coal aboard, and the latter, as her captain reported, with but just 
enough to get to Key West — it is perfectly possible that we could have 
remained off Santiago for two or three days. But, as will be shown 
in another chapter, in addition to this lack of facilities for coaling. 
Commodore Schley had received the most definite assurances from 
American naval officers sent there by the Navy Department for the 



142 COALING 

specific purpose of ascertaining the whereabouts of the Spanish 
squadron, that Cervera's fleet was not in Santiago harbor. 

THE HARVARD BRINGS DISPATCHES 

Just after the Merrimac finally broke down, Commodore Schley 
signaled to the Yale to send a line to the collier and take her in tow. 
Three times she sent lines to her, through the night of the 26th and the 
morning of the 27th, attempting to make her fast. Finally, a steel haw- 
ser managed to hold, and the column started to the westward. 

We proceeded quite slowly on that day, the Harvard joining us, 
and bringing us dispatches. She had no more than arrived, reporting 
that she had not seen the Spanish squadron, when Captain Cotton also 
pleaded shortness of coal, and asked permission to go to Kingston, 
Jamaica, to procure it. He left us at noon, but not before he had told 
us the interesting story of his getting the Harvard out of the harbor of 
St. Pierre, Martinique, while the enemy's torpedo boat was laying in 
wait to destroy him. 

WAR SHIPS COAL AT SEA 

At noon on the 27th we were about forty miles west of Santiago, 
out during the afternoon it appeared as though the sea was calming 
down considerably, and at 7:15 that night. Commodore Schley decided 
that it had abated sufficiently so that if the Merrimac could be put in 
any kind of repair, the Texas, the Marblehead, and the Vixen might be 
able to coal. 

The full engineer force of the Brooklyn was sent aboard the Mer- 
rimac, with instructions to use every energy to repair her, and about an 
hour and a half later, they reported they believed she could proceed 
under her own steam. She was accordingly run alongside of the Texas, 
and all night long, with as little light used as possible, the busy men 



COALING 143 

hoisted coal up from the collier into the bunkers of the warship. Toward 
midnight, the sea had abated so very much that the Marblehead was 
ordered along the other side of the collier, and so. In between two heavy 
fighting ships, she worked for the rest of that night. 

During the next morning, the morning of the 28th, the Vixen coaled 
from the collier, and the engineer force of the Brooklyn reporting that 
they had put the engines of the Merrimac in good working order, we 
turned about to the east, and at 1:15 o'clock started again for Santiago. 

All the vessels were now coaled sufficiently for them to remain in 
the vicinity of Santiago until such time as the government or the scouts 
could give some definite information as to the whereabouts of the Span- 
ish fleet. 

FORMATION OF SQUADRON WAS FAN SHAPED 

The formation of the squadron going toward Santiago was in fan 

shape, with the Brooklyn in the center; the Vixen and the Merrimac on 

one flank, and the Marblehead and the Yale on the other. This method 

of procedure, according to Commodore Schley, was because of his idea 

that the Spanish squadron was still at sea and that to spread his fleet 

out in that way would be to get a greater view, so that if the Spanish 

approached either from the east or from the west, they could be readily 

seen. 

ARRIVED OFF SANTIAGO 

We arrived off Santiago at 7:40 p. m., and the small vessels which 
we had — the Marblehead and the Vixen— were placed inside as pickets, 
while we steamed backward and forward across the entrance of the 
harbor. 

Commodore Schley's own report of the movement eastward away 
from Santiago is so extremely lucid that I append it here: 

"After the Merrimac had broken down the movement was not made 
to the westward until toward nine o'clock, the Yale having had consid- 



144 COALING 

erable difficulty in getting a hawser to tlie Merrimac. That hawser 
parted or slipped, I do not remember just which, about eleven o'clock 
that night, when I was signaled by Captain Wise, of the Yale, that it would 
take some four hours to break out a steel hawser. The collier at that 
time was absolutely unmanageable. She was not capable of turning a 
propeller, and the ships steamed for a couple of hours the first part of the 
night and drifted the balance of the night in the attempt to secure this 
vessel. I do not remember that we got under way again until toward four 
o'clock of the afternoon of the 27th. Not long afterward the Merrimac 
was taken in tow, steaming to the westward, and we went a little bit farther 
than I had intended on account of the difficulty of getting the Yale to 
read our Ardois signals. We were obliged to go four or five miles far- 
ther on that account to catch her. 

THE HOT WEATHER EXHAUSTS THE MEN 

"As soon as the sea calmed down^and in my judgment it was not 
possible to have coaled before — I signaled to Captain Philip asking him 
if he could coal. I think his signal indicates precisely that he was 
uncertain about it, for he signaled back to me, '1 can try.' The impres- 
sion left upon my mind at that time was that he was uncertain, and that 
there was some doubt is evidenced further by the fact that the following 
morning, I think, he signaled me that both himself and the Merrimac 
had sprung a leak due to the motion of the ship and to the fender which 
had been placed a little abaft her armor belt. 

"The weather was very exceedingly hot — so hot that Captain 
Philip's men were exhausted in the operation of that day's coaling — and 
my impression now is that a signal was made to me in the morning, 
either by the doctor or at the suggestion of the doctor, stating that he 
would recommend that we let up on coaling on account of the exhausted 
condition of the crew. 



mmm 




COALING 147 

"The Marblehead. the Texas, and the Vixen all took more or less 
coal from this collier on that occasion. 

CONCLUDES TO GO TO SANTIAGO 

"Toward two o'clock on that afternoon, the coaling or steaming 
radius of the squadron being more nearly equalized, I felt that, in view 
of the suggestion of the Secretary (I did not really regard it as an order) 
that there might be truth in the report, it would only take a very little 
while to get back, as we were not very far away, and that then a 
thorough examination could be made; and if the squadron were found 
not to have been there, I felt that the military outlook would have been 
not to have gone east, but to have gone west — to have thrown myself 
nearer to Havana and to Key West, which was the base. 

"We arrived in front of the harbor of Santiago about six o'clock, if 
my memory serves me; and 1 think there is a record in the log of the 
ship which shows that at that time Morro Castle was bearing north by 
east and distant about seven miles. I continued on until about seven 
or a little after, and took up a position which I estimated from the appear- 
ance of the land and the surf to have been about five or six miles off- 
shore, and there the squadron was held in formation during the night. 
The Marblehead was instructed to take her position inside, near enough 
to be able to guard the entrance, and to let us know if the enemy 

appeared. 

ACCIDENT TO THE VIXEN 

"On the way over the Vixen blew out one of the gaskeis of a man- 
hole plate. She hauled fires upon that boiler and repaired temporarily, 
but it blew out again. I was therefore obliged to send the boilermaker, 
or at least direct Captain Cook to send the boilermaker, on board. He 
worked all night and succeeded in completing the repairs by the next 
day, so that that night, the night of the 28th, she was not in on the 



148 COALING 

picket line at all, but remained near the flagship, on account of the facil- 
ity that that gave for proceeding with the work and obtaining spare parts 
that were needed from time to time in the repairs." 



CHAPTER VIII 
A WILL-O'-THE-WISP 

IT WAS the night of the 28th of May, and four or five miles out from 
Santiago harbor swung the squadron of Commodore Schley. It 
was not a particularly favorable squadron for blockading purposes. The 
fastest ship in the line was the Brooklyn, and there were three good 
battleships, the Massachusetts, the Iowa, and the Texas. All of the 
scouts had left us, although we could see the St. Paul's searchlight 
over on the horizon line and knew that she was lingering about. We 
were sadly deficient in picket vessels, the Vixen being the only small 
boat with us, although we utilized the Marblehead and placed the two 
inside of our main line to give us notice of any movement in the harbor. 

GUARD THE HARBOR ENTRANCE CAREFULLY 

Just exactly why he guarded so carefully this harbor entrance, 
Commodore Schley did not know, except that the Navy Department 
the last two days at a point 2,000 miles away, had continuously urged 
that the fleet must be there. To the contrary, every iota of information 
obtained from the captains of the scouts that had been sent to the 
vicinity of Santiago for the purpose of obtaining information, was to the 
effect that the Spanish fleet was not in Santiago harbor, or anywhere 
near that port. 

Naturally, Commodore Schley was slightly worried for fear that 
while he had been proceeding from Cienfuegos to Santiago, the fleet 

149 



150 A WILL-a-THE-WISP 

had made a detour in the opposite direction and had gotten into the 
former harbor, or had started for Havana. 

CONVINCED THAT THE SPANISH FLEET WAS NOT 
AT SANTIAGO 

It was not at all an enviable position for this commander to be 
placed in. A careful review of the information which Commodore 
Schley had on the 28th, and on the 26th, the day that he made the 
retrograde movement, will demonstrate that at every point he was abso- 
lutely well fortified in his opinion that the fleet was not in Santiago 
harbor. 

Captain Sigsbee reported on board the flagship, and was received 
on the quarter-deck by Commodore Schley. As soon as he reached 
the quarter-deck by the gangway he stopped, and the Commodore said 
to him, quite eagerly, "Have you got them, Sigsbee?" To which Cap- 
tain Sigsbee replied, "No, they are not here. I have been here for a 
week, and they are not here." Then we walked back on the quarter- 
deck, out of hearing of the officers who were grouped near the gang- 
way, and Commodore Schley again inquired, "Are you quite sure they 
are not in there?" And Sigsbee replied, "1 have been very close to the 
harbor entrance two or three times, and Captain Cotton has been in and 
cut a cable, and they are certainly not there." 

CAPTAIN SIGSBEE CONFIRMS REPORT 

Captain Sigsbee practically confirmed this conversation on May 
the 29th, in a report to the Department, in which he says, "Although I 
have been off Santiago for a week and have been daily near the 
entrance, yesterday being in between four and a half to five miles from 
the Morro sketching in very clear weather, 1 have never seen any signs 
of a Spanish man-of-war." 

But the most convincing evidence of all was the bringing aboard 





^ 



^ 






A IVILL-O'-TI IE-WISP lo3 

the Brooklyn on the morning of the 26th by Captain Sigsbee of two 
Cuban pilots — Louis M. Preval and Eduardo Nunez. Preval had been 
clerk in the consul at Santiago, and Nunez was a regular coast pilot in 
the employ of the Spanish navy at the same city. Captain Sigsbee 
told Commodore Schley that Nunez had informed him that vessels of 
the class of the Viscaya could not enter Santiago harbor, and that he 
had never known a larger vessel than 4,500 tons to go into that port. 
He stated that the difficulty was not one of draught, but the great length 
of the Viscaya's class. 

THE PILOT NUNEZ MAKES AN ADMISSION 

Nunez, who was a little, thick-set colored man, was engaged in 
conversation by Commodore Schley, and repeated what he had said to 
Captain Sigsbee. When closely pressed, he said that perhaps a large 
vessel of the class of the Viscaya might get into the harbor if she had 
a tug at her head and one at her stern. But Captain Sigsbee pooh- 
poohed at this, saying that the scouts had never been long enough away 
from the harbor for four vessels to be taken in that way. 

After the interview with Nunez and Captain Sigsbee, a careful 
study of the chart was made, and this seemed to bear out the assertion 
of the pilot. The channel was marked as very narrow, and had many 
short turns. 

INFORMATION SENT TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

I wrote all this information in a dispatch addressed to the Asso- 
ciated Press, and asked Captain Sigsbee, who was to take dispatches 
over to Mole St. Nicolas for Commodore Schley, if he would take it 
over for me. He said he would, and 1 gave it to him, in an unsealed 
condition, and, as a matter of courtesy, said to him that I should be 
glad to have him read it over on his way to the Mole. When he left 

8 



154 A WILL-O'-THE-WISP 

the ship he took it with him, and, so far as I am able to ascertain, it was 
delivered and sent. 

Captain Cotton, of the Harvard, had been off Santiago for six days 
prior to the 28th, and has admitted in a dispatch to the Department 
dated June 4, 1898, that he had no idea the fleet was in Santiago 
harbor until informed of that fact by Commodore Henderson, R. N., of 
H. M. S. Urgent, and in charge of Her Majesty's squadron at Port 
Royal, Jamaica. Commodore Henderson gave him this information 
on May 30th, twenty-four hours after Commodore Schley had finally 
located the Spanish squadron. 

OTHERS REPORT SQUADRON NOT AT SANTIAGO 

Captain Jewell, of the Minneapolis, who had been with us for part 
of the day, had reported that he had seen no signs of the Spanish fleet, 
and Captain Wise, of the Yale, had joined in the general opinion that 
the fleet was not at Santiago, although he had brought from the 
Department a dispatch dated May 20th notifying everybody that the 
Department had received reports that the fleet was in that harbor. 

As in distinction to this very formidable amount of evidence by 
those at Santiago detailed for the special purpose, were the Navy 
Department's reports that the Spanish fleet was there. But in all the 
dispatches which they sent they never gave any indication as to where 
their information was obtained from or how reliable it was, and the 
weight of the first dispatches had been somewhat lessened by the 
failure of Sampson to send Schley definite orders to proceed from 
Cienfuegos to Santiago. 

It is true, that on the 26th, impressed perhaps by the constant 
reiteration of the Department that the fleet was reported at Santiago, 
Sampson telegraphed the Secretary, "Schley ought to have arrived at 
Santiago on May 24th." But he did this in the face of the fact that 



A WILL-O'-THE-WISP 155 

he had distinctly told Schley not to move from Cienfuegos unless he, 
Schley, was positively convinced that Cervera's fleet was not in 
Cienfuegos. 

SAMPSON'S INDECISION CLEARLY SHOWN 

In this same telegram Sampson again shows his indecision, despite 
the Department's views on the matter, because he says, under date of 
May 26th, "As the Spanish squadron may have evaded Santiago and 
attempted to reach Havana by Cape San Antonio, I have moved west- 
ward to provide against this contingency. I will attempt to cover Havana 
from both directions." This was forty-eight hours after Schley had left 
Cienfuegos and was well on his way to Santiago; and this movement, 
undoubtedly being communicated from Cienfuegos to Santiago, probably 
kept the Spanish fleet from moving out, if they had had any intentions 
in that direction. 

SAMPSON RECEIVES SECRET INFORMATION 

And what is more astonishing about this attitude of Admiral Samp- 
son is the fact that, on the 20th of May, one day after Commodore 
Schley left Key West, Sampson was given secret information through 
his flag lieutenant, Sidney A. Staunton, who had obtained it from Cap- 
tain Allen, of the Signal Service force at Key West, that on the night of 
the 19th, he, Allen, had received from a private source in Havana a 
dispatch stating that Cervera had entered the harbor of Santiago the 
morning of the 19th with his squadron. This information came from 
an employee in the telegraph office at Havana, who sent the dispatches 
about six o'clock, while the other people who daily worked with him 
were at dinner. On the evening of the 20th, Lieutenant Staunton 
returned to shore and received from Captain Allen some other dispatches 
which confirmed this first information. 



156 A W I LL-a-T HE-WISP 

In speaking of the matter, Lieutenant Staunton says: "Admiral 
Sampson was satisfied that the information was correct, and he called 
up the Hawk and sent her with dispatches to Commodore Schley." 
But these are the dispatches which did not state definitely that the fleet 
was at Santiago, and did not order Commodore Schley to proceed to 
that port, but left it entirely within his judgment, at the same time with- 
holding from him the information upon which the suggestion of their 
being in Santiago was based. 

That Admiral Sampson really appreciated the fact that he had not 

been definite in his instructions to Commodore Schley, is apparent from 

the tone of a dispatch which he sent to the Commodore from St. 

Nicholas channel on May the 27th, in which, for the first time, he gave 

the source of his information as follows : 

No. 10.] 

U. S. Flagship New York, 1st Rate, 

St. Nicholas Channel, May 27, 1898. 
Sir: Every report, and particularly daily confidential reports, 
received at Key West from Havana, state Spanish squadron has been 
in Santiago de Cuba from the 19th to the 25th instant, inclusive, the 
25th being the date of the last report received. 

You will please proceed with all possible dispatch to Santiago to 
blockade that port. If, on arrival there, you receive positive information 
of the Spanish ships having left, you will follow them in pursuit. 

Very respectfully, 

W. T. Sampson, 
Commodore Schley. Rear-Admiral, etc. 

This communication was sent by the Wasp, and the curious part of 
it is that it never arrived off Santiago and was never delivered to Com- 
modore Schley until ten days after Admiral Sampson himself had arrived 
off that port. 

That Captain Cook of the Brooklyn was of the same impression as 
Commodore Schley after hearing the reports of the commanders of the 
scouts, is evident from the fact that he made no serious objection to 




^^^. 



m 




A WILL-a-T HE-WISP 159 

leaving the vicinity of Santiago, as did none of tlie other captains of the 
fleet. 

COMMODORE GIVES REASONS FOR RETROGRADE MOVEMENT 

It is perhaps well to give at this juncture Commodore Schley's own 
statement as to his reasons for the retrograde movement and as to the 
information which led him to believe that the fleet of Cervera was not 
at Santiago. 

He says: "Captain Sigsbee came aboard the Brooklyn on the 
26th, and as soon as he had stepped over the side, I said to him, 'Cap- 
tain, have you got the Dons here' or 'in here?' He stated to me, 'No, 

they are not in here. I have been in very close. I have ' I don't 

know but that he said he had been in sketching, but he said, 'They are 
not here; they are only reported here.' 1 said, 'Have any of the other 
vessels seen them — the Yale or the Minneapolis?' He said, 'No; they 
have not; they have assured me so.' 

THREE CAPTAINS REPORTED SPANISH FLEET NOT AT SANTIAGO 

"That was the assurance to which I referred when I spoke of the 
statements of such men as Wise and Jewell to Sigsbee. They did not 
communicate verbally with me, but I assumed, from the communication 
with Captain Sigsbee, that he was bearing to me the assurance of all 
of them. 

"At the same time Eduardo Nunez was aboard, and he and I held a 
conversation in Spanish. He was not able to speak English, and I 
could speak Spanish fairly well. 

"Among other things, I said to him, 'Nunez, what do you think of 
the report that those people are in here?' 'Well,' he said, 'I don't 
believe that they are here at all, because the channel way is very nar- 
row, the buoys have all been removed, you have to make the turn very 



160 A WILL-O'-THE-WISP 

quickly, and the channel aside from that is very tortuous. If they had 
a tug, and on a very favorable day, most favorable, perfectly smooth 
weather, no sea, they might get in.' 

"I aslced him how long he had been a pilot. He said, I think, six- 
teen or eighteen years, and that he was perfectly familiar with the har- 
bor, and, as we subsequently found, this was exactly true. He was a 
very expert pilot and rendered us invaluable service. 

COMMODORE ASSUMES ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MOVEMENT 

"After this conversation. Captain Sigsbee went on board. My 
habit of life, not only in principal command of a squadron, but also in 
command of a ship, was to assume the responsibility and to venture the 
censure of any movement that might justify that, but that 1 was never 
willing under any circumstances to be a participant in glories that I 
would not divide. That was the general principle upon which I acted 
in this matter. I did not call any council of war. The information 
which these people gave me led me to infer that my impression was 
correct, that the telegraphic information was a ruse precisely similar to 
that which was telegraphed from Cadiz that the squadron had returned 
from the Cape de Verdes. It is precisely what I would have done if I 
had been militarily managing their situation — to have attracted the 
squadrons in the direction of either one of these ports and then gone in 
behind them. That would have been my policy if I had been control- 
ling, and if any of us at any time made any mistakes during the cam- 
paign of Santiago or elsewhere, it was in supposing that the Spaniard 
would ever do right at the right time. That was probably the only 
reason why we made any mistakes, if we did. 

A MOVE TO THE WESTWARD DEEMED WISE 

"I determined then, that being the case, that a move eastward 
would be unwise, in that I knew that Admiral Sampson would have 



A W I LL-a-T HE-WISP 161 

moved to the eastward of Havana. It would not have been wise for me 
to have uncovered Santiago, therefore. The military importance of that 
movement would have been to have guarded the westward, as that 
would have been the only place that they could have gotten in behind. 

MERRIMAC BREAKS DOWN AGAIN 

"Now, just at that time, as we approached on this evening of the 
26th the harbor of Santiago, the collier Merrimac, which had been giv- 
ing us a good deal of trouble, broke down. The signal, I think, was that 
her intermediate valve stem was bent and stuffing box broken. I con- 
cluded, therefore, that an unmanageable collier was not a very com- 
fortable thing to have with the squadron if we met the enemy, so I first 
determined to send her to Key West with the Yale, but it then occurred 
to me that if we did send her to Key West with the Yale and she were 
overtaken, that we would probably be out a collier, and the Spanish 
forces, if they were outside, would be in so much coal. So I deter- 
mined, therefore, that this movement to the westward would be wise. 
After the collier broke down she signaled to me that it would take from 
three to four hours to repair her, but, as a matter of fact, it took actually 
twenty-four hours, and for twelve hours her engines could not be moved 
or turned over, and she was entirely unmanageable. All this time I was 
closely watching the weather, hoping and praying for some kind of 
abatement. And, on the night of the 27th, it had abated sufficiently to 
allow us to coal, and we went back to the vicinity of Santiago harbor." 

The blockade on the night of the 28th was conducted very quietly. 
A strict watch was kept, of course, with all of our lights masked, and 
the Ardois signals constantly ready so as to inform the vessels of our 
fleet if any suspicious movements were noted in the harbor. 

During the night we noticed some signals in the harbor which 
appeared to us to be worked by electricity. There would be flashlights 



1G2 A WILL-O'-THE-WISP 

from the top of the hills surrounding the harbor, to which the Morro 
would answer, and there were evident flashes from some low point 
down in the harbor which we could not construe in any way unless 
they came from warships. As a partial explanation of that, we had the 
information that the Reina Mercedes, a second-class battleship which 
had cruised off the southern coast of Cuba for years, was disabled and 
lying in this harbor. Another explanation of the signals was that the 
Spanish fleet was at sea, and that these signals were kept working so 
as to warn them away from Santiago, if they were approaching it at 
that time. And so the night passed, and the morning sun on the 29th 
showed us Cuba, green with verdure, the white surf breaking along the 
coral reefs, and the picturesque old Morro, in its coat of dirty yellow 
plaster, standing grim guard over the entrance to Santiago harbor on 
one side, while a new earthwork guarded the opening from the western 
hill. 



CHAPTER IX 
FINDING THE FLEET 

THIS Sunday morning, the 29th of May, was a beautiful day, and 
every one of us was out on deck early. I remember sticking 
my head up through the hatchway about six o'clock, and starting a 
constitutional parade, on the quarter-deck before breakfast, together 
with Flag-Lieutenant Sears and Flag-Secretary Wells. But a minute 
or two later. Commodore Schley came up the companionway leading 
from his quarters and gave us a cheery "Good-morning." He went 
immediately up to the after-bridge, and we followed him, taking our 
glasses with us. We were about six miles from the entrance to 
Santiago, and just inside of us, probably three-quarters of a mile, was 
the jaunty little Marblehead. We scanned the harbor very intently, 
but the slight haze of early morning, which in Cuba predicts the 
approach of the rainy season, made objects rather indistinct. 

A SPANISH BOAT IN THE BAY 

At 6:30 Commodore Schley said to Lieutenant Sears, "Sears, I 
think we'll run in a little closer and see what we can develop in that 
entrance." A messenger took word to Captain Cook, and Flag-Ensign 
McCauley raised the signal to the fleet to follow the movements of the 
commander-in-chief. We had hardly moved in a mile when Com- 
mander McCalla signaled from the Marblehead, "Just caught view of 
Spanish warship in harbor entrance," and in an instant Ensign McCauley 

105 



166 FINDING THE FLEET 

and I were shinning up the steel side-ladder on the military mast to the 
crow's nest, and on the forward mast, climbing quickly to the same 
position, was the sharpest-eyed man among us. Quartermaster McCon- 
nell, with his long glass. As we moved on and then stopped about five 
miles from the entrance, we could see the nose of this black-hulled ship, 
and then the signal of discovery was made to the entire fleet, when 
there was, of course, the utmost jubilation. 

"WE'VE GOT THEM NOW" 

Schley turned to me later when I came down to the bridge : "We've 
got them now, Graham, and they'll never go home." And then turning 
to Sears, he ordered the signal to be made to form column and follow 
the flagship by the entrance. As we moved slowly by at a distance of 
about 7,000 yards and opened up to our view the hole between the hills 
which marked the entrance to the harbor, we got our first thoroughly 
good view of what we knew to be the Cristobal Colon, a ship which 
the Spanish had purchased from the Italian government, and which was 
easily distinguishable because her military mast was placed very 
curiously between her two funnels. At the same time, close to her, 
we discovered one of the torpedo boats. There was the most intense 
excitement now, and every officer on board at the time, who could 
climb to an elevated position, was busy with a pair of binoculars trying 
to locate Spanish vessels. 

THE MASTS OF ANOTHER WAR VESSEL SEEN 

As we opened up the eastern channel, which runs around the little 
island in the mouth of the harbor, we could just see the nose and the 
military top of another war vessel, the height of whose masts and their 
construction indicating that it was either the Viscaya, the Oquendo, or 
the Teresa, all of which were practically the same type of ship. 



FINDING THE FLEET 167 

Just over the lower part of Cay Smith we thought we saw the upper 
masts of another war vessel, but the density of the foliage made us 
unable to be absolutely definite about this, as only her extreme tops were 
visible, and they might have belonged to a merchantman. As it was, 
however, everybody aboard believed that we had the entire squadron 
there, for, as Commodore Schley said, "It is not conceivable that with 
a homogeneous fleet of that character the commander-in-chief would 
detach any single one for operations, especially in waters where it would 
easily be met and overcome." And yet, such was the case, for the 
torpedo boat Terror had been detached and had sought refuge in San 
Juan, Porto Rico, from which harbor Captain Sigsbee decoyed her one 
day and then shot her to pieces. 

THE FLEET DEFINITELY LOCATED 

Until eight o'clock we moved slowly by the harbor, noting the exact 
location of these vessels, and at 8:05 o'clock signal was made to the 
fleet to go to breakfast. At 8:30 the movements of the fleet in front of 
the harbor were stopped, and blockading stations were taken, similar 
to those we had occupied during the night. A few minutes afterward 
the St. Paul came in sight, and as Captain Sigsbee approached us he 
flew the signal, "Can see a strange vessel in the harbor." He was 
immediately notified that we had already found the Spaniards, and he 
was ordered to come aboard the flagship. 

CAPTAIN SIGSBEE SURPRISED 

When Captain Sigsbee came aboard, he expressed to both Com- 
modore Schley and Captain Cook the greatest surprise that they could 
possibly be there, and he said, "I have never before seen any sign of 
them, although I have been in all sorts of positions outside of this 
harbor." 



168 FINDING THE FLEET 

It is worth relating just at this juncture that the Colon had been 
anchored at this point since the 25th of May; in other words, that on 
May 25, 26, 27, and 28, while the St. Paul was guarding the harbor 
entrance, at times in company with the Minneapolis and the Yale, this 
ship had been in exactly the same position as that which she occupied 
on the morning of May 29th, when Commander McCalla, with Com- 
modore Schley's squadron, first discovered her. 

THE LOG BOOK OF THE COLON 

After the destruction of Cervera's fleet, and while returning on 
board the Vixen with some of the officers of the Colon, I discovered 
that they were in possession of their own log book. I told Captain 
Sharpe of the Vixen of what 1 had learned and asked if it could be 
delivered up to me to take aboard the Brooklyn. The officers pleaded 
very hard to keep the log, as it was their only method of presenting to 
their own government the details of their cruise, but when I went aboard 
the Brooklyn from the Vixen that night, I carried the coveted books with 
me. It dawned upon me that they would make excellent souvenirs of 
the Spanish fight, but it dawned upon the Commodore at the same time, 
evidently, that they belonged to the United States government, and I was 
reluctantly forced to give them up. 

INTERESTING DATA REGARDING THE SPANISH FLEET 

From the pages of them, however, we took the extracts which led 
to the development that on the morning of the 19th of May, at just 
exactly the same time that the Flying Squadron was steaming out of 
Key West, eight o'clock, the much-sought-after fleet of Spain was enter- 
ing the harbor of Santiago. They were given a hearty welcome there, 
and were assigned to anchorages in the harbor. On May the 25th, 
notification was received that the Flying Squadron had left the vicinity 



m 





^ 
^ 






FINDING THE FLEET 171 

of Cienfuegos, and Admiral Cervera ordered the ships moved around 
and so disposed as to cover the narrow entrance to Santiago with flank- 
ing fires, so that the American ships could not force an entrance. The 
Colon shifted anchorage to Ensenada de Caspar, which is just inside 
the mouth, and just where we found her on Sunday morning, May 29th. 

SPANISH SIGHT OUR BOATS 

On May the 27th our fleet was seen by the lookout at the watch 
tower on Morro, and we were developed by them as having ten warships 
and nine torpedo boats. At 5:30 in the afternoon, when we began our 
slight movement to the west, the signal was made that we had disap- 
peared. But this was evidently looked upon as a ruse, because, according 
to the log, on the 28th Admiral Cervera sent an officer to the Morro to 
watch and report the position of the enemy's ships, and to announce 
their movements. 

On the 29th the log contained the information that we were again 
in sight, and steaming toward the harbor from the eastward. They 
recognized the Brooklyn, the Iowa, the Minneapolis, the Texas, and the 
Indiana as being part of our squadron — the Marblehead being evidently 
mistaken for the Minneapolis, and the Massachusetts for the Indiana, 
the latter not being such a bad guess as she, the Massachusetts, and 
the Oregon are of the same type. 

The log for that day announced also that they prepared their bat- 
teries, loading with solid steel shell, and also placed a buoy in the center 
of the entrance where a ship would have to pass in coming in, and then 
fired at it so as to get the range for their guns. 

COLON IN PLAIN SIGHT OF THE SCOUTS 

The evidence that the Colon for four days was as much in plain 
sight of the scouts as she was on May 29th, when we discovered her, is 
found in these extracts from her log: 



172 FINDING THE FLEET 

May 25th — Shifted anchorage in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba on 
the morning of May 25, 1898; draft forward 7.50 m., aft 6.45 m. At 
6, engines ready, and, with the pilot on board, weighed anchor, which 
was soon catted; cast to port. Under direction of the commanding 
officer passed between Ratones Cay and Julias Point and proceeded in 
the channel to a point to the northward of Smith Cay and at mouth of 
Caspar Bay, where we anchored at 7 a. m. in 20 m. of water with the 
port anchor ; mud bottom. At this time the vessels of the enemy were 
discovered off the mouth of the harbor; Morro made signal to begin 
firing ; orders were given to man the main battery, but in a short time it 
was seen that it would be obstructed, as an English steamer was about 
to enter the harbor. Got out stream cable from port quarter to the 
south beach of the bay (Caspar), and veered and hauled chain until 
another was gotten from starboard to the opposite shore and then 
secured both. Head S. 57° W., with 75 fathoms of chain outside and 
moored on the following bearings: Gorda Point, N. 19° W.; Cuarentina 
Point, Smith Cay, S. 48° E.; and Morro Point, S. 5° E. 8:40 a. m. to 
noon got out a second mooring to starboard and made fast until we had 
secured the buoy on the same quarter, which had been placed as a 
mark. Got out steel hawser on starboard side, and sent crew to break- 
fast. 

Lowered 2d steam launch which took sailing launch in tow to bring 
back liberty men and provisions at 3:30 p. m. During 4 to 8 watch the 
small arms were gotten ready and the rapid-fire battery loaded. At 6 
a. m. secured small arms, unloaded rapid-fire battery, and then crew 
went to breakfast. 8 a. m. to noon lighter came alongside, which com- 
menced unloading at once. Squally. 

At 3 p. m. hove in port chain to 30 fathoms, heaving in on port stream 
chain and veering on the starboard. Finished coaling at 4 to 8 p. m. 
watch. 8 to 12 p. m. semaphore signaled 2 suspicious vessels in sight. 
Mid. to 4 a. m. steam launch returned towing water boat. 

May 26th — 8 a. m. to noon veered cables to bring stern to the 
beach in such wise that the 15.2 cm. gun No. 2 would cover the mouth 
of harbor with its fire. The watch tower signaled 3 of the enemy's 
vessels in sight accompanied by torpedo boats or smaller vessels. 

Noon to 4 p. m. anchored and moored in Caspar Bay, 75 fathoms 
on port chain, and two moorings to port and one to starboard; secured to 
'he beach. Artillery (main battery) ready for action. Four coal lighters 
came alongside; commenced discharging at once. 5:30 p. m. sema- 
phore signaled: "The enemy has disappeared." Coaling and taking 
in water. 



FINDING THE FLEET 173 

May 27th and 28th— Finished coaling at 4 p. m. Sent Ensign La 
Ciera to Morro for information regarding enemy's vessels and the buoys 
said to have been planted by them ; he reported as follows by sema- 
phore: First, black buoy SW. ^° S.; distance difficult to determine 
but estimated 4 miles ; another buoy is being looked for. Second, the 
enemy disappears to the SW. y^^ S.; no white buoy is seen. Third, 7 
vessels in sight, the Brooklyn and Iowa distinguishable ; 2 vessels are 
approaching the buoy. The semaphore, in its turn, announced: "5 
vessels in sight, with small vessels or torpedo boats." 4 to 8 p. m. 
lighted a red light and showed in on starboard side in order to indicate 
position of our bow to the rest of the squadron. At 7:30 a. m. com- 
menced firing at 14,000 ms., the enemy's squadron coming from the 
eastward and steaming in column past the mouth of the harbor. There 
were recognized the Brooklyn, Indiana, Iowa (flag), Minneapolis, Texas, 
and a merchant vessel. Manned all the starboard battery and loaded 
with heavy ammunition. 

May 29th — Noon to 4 p. m. various North American vessels in 
sight, among which could be distinguished the Iowa, Indiana, Brooklyn, 
and Texas type, and some merchantmen. 4 to mid. American vessels 
continue to pass by mouth of harbor with their searchlights thrown on 
the coast. At 4 a. m. the 2 destroyers returned, having been cruising 
at the mouth of the harbor, and reporting enemy's vessels from W. to 
SE. from point, i. e., Brooklyn, Texas, Indiana, Iowa, a yacht, and mer- 
chantmen. The ensign of the Pluton, on passing this vessel on way 
to the flagship, reported having been within about 4 miles of the 
enemy's vessels. At 1 1 sent an officer and 2 quartermasters to sema- 
phore on duty; they reported: "Enemy's squadron in sight," by 
semaphore, and by flag signals announced the arrival of a man-of-war 
with two masts, with three military tops on each, and two smokestacks. 

So on this pleasant Sunday morning, the 29th of May, we had 
discovered that which all the fast scouts, equipped with excellent com- 
manding officers, had failed in — although they had had four days' oppor- 
tunity — the Spanish squadron. 

SENDS WORD TO NAVY DEPARTMENT 

Commodore Schley told Captain Sigsbee to hold himself in readi- 
ness to immediately take a telegram to Mole St. Nicolas, notifying the 
Navy Department of the presence of the Spanish fleet in Santiago, and 



174 ' FINDING THE FLEET 

also to communicate with Admiral Sampson, wiio was supposed to be in 
the Windward passage. This telegram was written about nine o'clock, 
and at half-past nine the St. Paul left with them. It was a purely dis- 
passionate, plain statement of facts, so much so that the Commodore 
even refrained from mentioning that the third ship, which we had not 
been able to identify, was positively another one of them. The dis- 
patch was as follows : 

Enemy in port. Recognized Cristobal Colon and Infanta Maria 
Teresa and two torpedo boats moored inside Morro, behind point. 
Doubtless the others are here. We are short of coal; using every effort 
to get coal in. Vixen blew out manhole gasket; have sent boilermaker 
on board to repair. Collier's repaired machinery being put together. 
Have about 3,000 tons of coal in collier — but not easy to get on board 
here. If no engagement in next two or three days, Sampson's squadron 
could relieve this one to coal at Gonaives or vicinity of Port au Prince. 
Hasten me dispatch boats for picket work. Brooklyn, Iowa, Massachu- 
setts, Texas, Marblehead, Vixen, and colliers compose squadron here. 
(Following additional sentence to Department.) Am sending St. Paul 
to communicate with Sampson. 

At shortly after nine the signal was raised for all commanding 
officers of vessels to appear upon the flagship, and within twenty minutes 
there was gathered in the cabin of the Brooklyn a famous coterie of 
naval officers. There were Commodore Schley, and Captain Francis 
A. Cook, of the Brooklyn; Captain Robley D. Evans, of the Iowa; Captain 
Francis A. Higginson, of the Massachusetts; Captain John Philip, of the 
Texas; Commander Bowman McCalla,of the Marblehead, and Lieutenant- 
Commander Alexander Sharpe, Jr., of the Vixen. 

PLAN OF BATTLE OUTLINED 

Commodore Schley explained to the commanding officers his plan 
of battle if the Spanish fleet attempted to come out of the harbor, and 
his idea as to that was very similar to the plan afterward adopted by 
Admiral Sampson, that is, to the effect that it being absolutely necessary 



^t^^ 




Copyright, 1902, by VV. JB. Conkey Company. 

" There was a hurricane of cheers'' 
<xxix) 



I^Ti^. 




FINDING THE FLEET 177 

for the enemy to exit in single file, the ships of the American squadron 
should concentrate their fire for at least a brief period, on each ship as 
she emerged, and thus, if possible, partially disable them. 

His idea about this was that a ship being under such terrible fire 
for even a few moments would, even if she escaped destruction, be in 
such a condition as to be easily handled by any one of our squadron, 
and that the concentration of fire would also serve another purpose, that 
of disarranging the enemy's aim. This, the Commodore explained, was 
not a tactical concentration of our whole force, but a division of our fire 
which could at any time be ended by commanding officers of ships using 
their own discretion as to when to break away and attack another ship. 

STEAM DIRECTLY AT ENEMY'S SHIPS 

Captain Evans asked Commodore Schley if it was his intention to 
remain immobile when the fleet came out, simply firing at them as they 
left the entrance, or whether it was his plan to steam directly at the 
enemy's ships. Commodore Schley turned upon him quickly and 
said, "Certainly. What do you think I'd do? We'll get just as close 
to that entrance as we possibly can, the instant we see them making a 
move to come out, and 1 don't think they'll get very far." 

The morning and part of the day of the 29th were spent in com- 
paring notes among the ships as to the height of the different Spanish 
vessels' masts from the water line, and other details, and the Vixen and 
the Marblehead, which were smaller targets than the big ships because 
of their size, were ordered to investigate as closely as possible and see 
if any more Spanish ships could be seen in the harbor. A careful 
watch was kept, however, but so far as could be noted, the Spanish 
ships did not have up steam, and no attempt was apparently being made 
to escape. At 3:45 in the afternoon the Brooklyn signaled to the fleet 
to go by the harbor in column, and for navigating officers and lookouts 



178 FINDING THE FLEET 

to take particular note as to the number of ships and their accurate 
position. The Vixen made a little dash in shore toward the harbor, and 
Lieutenant-Commander Sharpe reported that he was positive that he 
could make out two vessels of the Viscaya class, besides the Cristobal 
Colon, a torpedo boat, and what looked like a merchantman. But this 
last was, undoubtedly, the Reina Mercedes, which lay just inside of the 
Colon and which was disabled. 

SHIPS GO BY THE HARBOR IN COLUMN 

At six p. m. the ships took up the column which Commodore 
Schley, because of the smallness of his force, concluded would best be 
mobile, with the exception of the Marblehead and the Vixen, which 
were to remain inside the column as pickets. The mobility of the 
column consisted in moving in an ellipse, running two or three miles 
each side of the harbor, one ship in the ellipse continually having her 
broadside facing the entrance. The advantage of this was that if the 
enemy attempted to escape the American ships would already be in 
motion with their engines active, and that a turn of the wheel would 
bring the squadron in line for the Dons, and still another turn would 
start them east or west, accordingly as the enemy shaped its course. 

AN ENGLISH SHIP APPEARS 

It should have been mentioned that, in the afternoon of this day, 
the Massachusetts had coaled from the Merrimac in the face of the 
enemy and under the guns of the forts. 

Such being the case, the energy and watchfulness of Commander 
Sharpe, and the readiness with which the ships went to quarters and 
opened fire, drove the destructive boat back into the harbor and probably 
prevented a disaster to one of our ships. 

Monday, May 30th, efforts were made to locate the entire Spanish 



FINDING THE FLEET 179 

squadron, and it was decided that as soon as the Vixen could coal, she 
should take Nunez, the colored Cuban pilot we had aboard, and land 
him at some point where he could get information from friendly sources 
ashore. 

During the morning the New Orleans arrived, convoying the collier 
Stirling, and this new cruiser, which had just been bought from Brazil 
and which was a very formidable-looking ship with very long calibre 
guns, made a fine addition to our squadron. All that was needed now 
to make the fleet a perfect one was a number of boats small enough to 
be used for picket boats and a couple of good-sized torpedo boats that 
could chase the enemy's similar craft if they came out. 

A curious incident which closed this day was the appearance of the 
H. M. S. Indefatigable, which ran up to our line and asked permission 
to go inside the harbor and take out its consul. Commodore Schley 
granted the permission, but told them that we had the enemy penned 
up in there. Much to our surprise, when the young officer had returned 
to his own ship, the war vessel turned around and stood for Jamaica, 
flying a pennant which read, "No harm done by your courtesy." I know 
we were very much puzzled by this signal, and finally construed it into 
meaning that as long as we were aware of the presence of the Spanish 
in the harbor he would not bother going in. 



^ 

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■.nm>vvi»'.\rt\i>.»w»t.\HWAlunu^ 



iyiV.t.u\v.imiitiiiSLiM 



Captain Charles E. Clark. 

(xxx) 




CHAPTER X 
RECONNAISSANCE 

NO, NO, my boy, you can't go. You're a non-combatant; there's 
no need of your exposing yourself unnecessarily, and besides, 
you can see the whole thing just as well from the deck of the Brooklyn 
as out with us. We're not going to do any real scrapping, but I want to 
find 'out what those fellows have, and we'll simply run in and locate 

their batteries." 

A BEAUTIFUL SCENE 

It was a glorious morning. The long, wavering sheet of gray mist 
had risen reluctantly, and the brilliant sunshine changing its gray to 
clouds of crimson and gold, had finally conquered, disclosing high hills 
of emerald verdure, dotted with the darker green of the palm or tinged 
with a ruddy tone where the scarlet-flowered creepers grew in greater 
luxuriance, and at their base a long line of gleaming, silvery coral sand, 
outlined the more distinctly by the leaping, glistening, white foam that 
curled up over the rocky shore, save In one spot, where the line was 
broken by the narrow opening between the hills that marked the entrance 
to Santiago harbor. The heavy, rolling sea sparkled greenly in the sun- 
light, whose rays were reflected from the polished brass work and guns 
of some smaller vessels tossing nearer shore, and from the huge ships 
of war swinging so majestically on the waves. 

THE COAST OF SOUTHERN CUBA 

This was the scene off the coast of southern Cuba the early morn- 
ing of May 31, 1898, and the point which these vast warships were 

18a 



1 84 RECONNA ISSA NCE 

so jealously guarding was that little opening between the hills; the tiny 
stretch of smooth water, which if followed would lead up the bay to 
where the city of Santiago lay snuggled, protected by the high hills, six 
miles away at the coast-line. But there were in the city that day anxious 
hearts, despite the fancied protection of the hill, for the huge, quaker- 
gray ships, floating in semicircle out at sea, were an enemy's cordon of 
death, and bombardment, with all its terrible results, was momentarily 
looked for. 

But aboard the ship, if those who feared could have seen, there 
was no indication of attack. True, the decks were stripped as if for 
fighting, being ready at a moment's notice to battle, but about them the 
men were lounging, clad in dirty clothes, waiting for the sea to calm 
down so that necessary coal could be taken from the colliers. The 
morning wore on, and the sea quieting, colliers ranged alongside, and 
soon, under sight of the walls of Morro, and almost within distance of 
the huge guns on the Spanish fleet penned within the harbor, was 
presented the spectacle of the Texas, the Brooklyn, and the Marblehead 
busy replenishing their coal bunkers, a decidedly unaggressive occupa- 
tion. 

THE COMMODORE TRANSFERS HIS FLAG TO THE MASSACHUSETTS 

But, from somewhere on the ship, 1 had caught the rumor that a 
bombardment was to be made, and I waited about, anxious not to miss a 
chance to see it. When the order came that the Commodore's flag was 
to be transferred to the Massachusetts and that she and some of the 
others were to make the attack, I was eager to be of the party. Then 
it was 1 begged of the Commodore to take me along, and he had replied, 
"No, you can't go. We're not going to do any real scrapping, but I 
want to find out what those fellows have, and we'll simply run in and 
locate their batteries." 



RECONNAISSANCE 185 

But I was extremely persistent, urging the necessity of a close 
observance for an accurate report, and finally Schley consented, and 
jubilantly I joined the party which, together with the Commodore's flag, 
was carried over to the Massachusetts by the little converted yacht, 
Vixen, Captain Sharpe commanding. Among the group were Commo- 
dore Schley, Flag-Lieutenant Sears, Flag- Secretary Wells, Flag-Ensign 
and Signal-Officer Edward McCauley, and I. We all wore our white 
linen suits, for the weather was extremely hot, even the Commodore 
wearing white with no insignia of his rank. 

PERMISSION GIVEN TO BOMBARD 

As we climbed up the sides of the Massachusetts we were heartily 
greeted, and there was some wonder as to the cause of our coming. 
Captain Higginson and some of his officers received us, and we walked 
back to the quarter-deck. 

Leaning up against one of the big guns in the turret Commodore 
Schley patted it with his hand and said: 

"Higginson, how would you like to fire a shot or two at that fellow 
in the entrance so as to get them to open up their batteries on shore?" 

Captain Higginson and the officers near him fairly jumped with 

delight. 

"Very much indeed," replied Captain Higginson, expressively, and 
his officers joined in the chorus of approval. 

"I'm sure I could plunk her if we get the range on her," said Lieu- 
tenant Glennan, who had charge of the big pair of beauties in the 
forward turret. 

"Well," said Commodore Schley, "tell your bullies that after they 
have finished their midday meal 1 will let them have a chance." 

The men were told and there was a rousing cheer that might have 
been heard ashore. 



186 RECONNAISSANCE 

We stood on the quarter-deck, in the shade of the awning for a 
while, chatting. 

"I am told," said Higginson, "that the ..idiana put a shell from her 
thirteen-inch gun through a target at 2,000 yards, and then went through 
the same hole with a second shell. Pretty good work for one of these 
fellows," and the muscular little captain stroked the muzzle of one of 
the four thirteen-inch guns that made up the main battery of the big ship 
of the line. 

Don't get out a tape measure or a foot-rule and measure off thirteen 
inches and wonder to what portion of the gun that refers, because it 
would avail you little; but rather listen to the account of the stupendous- 
ness of this greatest engine of destruction, of modern days. A "thirteen- 
inch breech-loading rifle," as the biggest gun used in the Navy is 
technically described, is a piece of metal weighing 136,000 pounds, a 
few inches over 39 feet in length, and with a powder-space 15.5 
inches in diameter and 80.8 inches long. 

WHAT A THIRTEEN-INCH GUN IS 

The only reference to thirteen inches is in the diameter of the steel 
projectile fired. This monstrous gun throws a projectile that weighs 
1,100 pounds, and the amount of powder consumed for each shot 
so fired is 520 pounds. The explosion of this powder sends this 
weight of 1,100 pounds of metal from the muzzle at the speed of 
2,100 feet per second, and with an energy of 33,627 tons — enough to 
send it through twenty-four inches of steel at 1,000 yards, and twenty- 
one inches at a mile distant; and while the mechanism of this gun is 
complicated, and while every part after every shot must be cleaned, so 
complete is the discipline aboard that it may be fired once every three 
mmutes. 

After luncheon. Commodore Schley having lunched with Captain 





The Commander-in-Chief and Two Captains. 

1. Rear-Admiral William T. Sampson 

2. Rear-Admiral Robley D. Evans. 3. Captain John W. Philip. 



(xxxi) 




RECONNAISSANCE 189 

Higginson; Lieutenants Sears, Wells, and myself with the ward room 
officers, and Ensign McCauley with the junior officers, grouped around 
the pilot-house on the upper bridge. There Captain Higginson and 
Commodore Schley discussed the approaching bombardment, fixing the 
distance at which we should fire at 7,000 yards — Commodore Schley 
basing his reasons for this on the fact that in several orders issued, the 
Navy Department had deprecated exposure of warships to the fire of 
unknown land batteries, until after the fleet of Cervera had been found 
and destroyed, a policy perfectly natural because our Navy as assembled 
in the West Indian waters was not so large that we could afford to 
cripple the ships, and, as Secretary Long expressed it in his dispatches, 
there were "too few dry-docks at any ports within our possessions 
where ships could be repaired with any facility." 

Captain Higginson concurred with Commodore Schley in his views 
and a flag message was sent to the other ships ordering them to pre- 
pare to go in and bombard. This message read: 

The Massachusetts and New Orleans and Iowa will go in after 
dinner to a distance of 7,000 yards and fire at Cristobal Colon with 
eight and twelve and thirteen-inch guns. Speed about ten knots. 

ORDER GIVEN TO MOVE IN 

When the message was read, the effect was magical. Officers 
and men alike became imbued with life and activity. Listlessness and 
ennui, borne of the waiting and the heat, vanished, and like a transfor- 
mation came quick, snappy orders; alert, happy replies. Messengers 
hurried here and there, the smaller apprentice boys with shining eyes 
and heightened color; while among the men there was apparent a 
strong feeling of delight at the thought that at last the months of practice 
at target shooting were to be consummated by a real attack at the 
" dagoes," and when finally the order was given to " move in," a ripple 



190 RECONNAISSANCE 

ran over the ship from bow to stern, that only the fine discipline of a 
man-of-war kept from breaking into a rousing cheer. 

DON'T EXPOSE YOURSELVES 

Commodore Schley had taken up a position near the conning tower 
on the little bridge that surrounded it, and several of us were standing 
on the top of the thirteen-inch turret. Suddenly, noticing our position, 
he called somewhat sharply, " I would not expose myself like that, if I 
were you, boys. You don't have to do it, and 1 do," and as we looked 
upon this as a sort of order coming from so high an authority, we 
stepped down and took our positions in the rear of the conning tower. 

"Tell them to clear for action," said the Commodore, and the 
signal had hardly been made out when a cheer from each ship came 
over the water. 

GET READY TO FIRE 

"Tell them to get ready for firing and go to quarters," added the 
Commodore. 

The men were at their guns in an instant. 

"Fire only with the large guns; get the range of the ship in the 
harbor and hit her if you can. The New Orleans may try a few shots 
at Morro for a range." 

The ships were ready to move in when Captain Higginson, pre- 
paring to go to his fighting station in the steel-protected conning tower, 
said: 

"You had better step in the tower, Commodore; you will be safe 
there." 

" No," replied Commodore Schley ; " 1 want to see things. I can't 
see there." 

Then, still chewing his cigar, he stood with his glasses in his hands 
looking toward the objective point. 



RECONNAISSANCE ' 191 

The men of the secondary batteries who were not busy profited 
by the example and stood out on the open deck and watched the firing 
of the big guns. 

The three war vessels were then about six miles from the entrance 
to the bay, southwest of it, and where the Cristobal Colon could not be 
seen as she lay broadside on in the narrow entrance or nook. There 
was but one place where she could be fired at by the American ships, 
and the firing would have to be done, if the ships were moving, in about 
two minutes. 

"Go ahead at ten knots northeast," was the order issued by the 
Commodore, and the ships straightened out. 

"Fire when you are at about 7,000 yards," was the next order from 
the Commodore, who then stood on top of the big thirteen-inch gun 
turret. 

MASSACHUSETTS OPENS FIRE 

Lieutenant Potts, with the stadimeter, tolled off the distances to 
Lieutenant Sears, and when 7,000 yards was announced the Cristobal 
Colon's stem and the bow of the partly dismantled Reina Mercedes 
showed in the harbor. 

"You can fire now," said the Commodore to the semi-stripped gun- 
captain, who sat unconcernedly in the opening of the great turret; and 
then the Commodore stepped off the turret in order to avoid the con- 
cussion. 

"Let her go, lieutenant!" was heard from the turret. 

WONDERFUL SHOOTING BY THE AMERICAN GUNNERS 

There was a frightful roar and an immense half-ton projectile, pro- 
pelled by the explosion of five hundred pounds of powder, went flying 
toward the mark. For three seconds it flew along its trajectory and 



192 - RECONNAISSANCE 

when it dropped there arose a fountain of water, which for a minute hid 
the Colon from sight, while a ringing cheer went up from the jackies 
on deck. 

"A little short there. Try your other a little higher up," said the 
Commodore. 

Elevated to 8,000 yards the second big fellow hurled a projectile 
toward the enemy. 

"A fair hit!" cried the men, as the shell crashed near the stern of 
the Reina Mercedes and exploded. 

The two after-guns then spoke, and then the entrance of the harbor 
of Santiago de Cuba was shut out of vision from the battleship. 

SPANISH BATTERIES RETURN FIRE 

By this time the little cruiser New Orleans had come in range, and 
the forts were opening a steady fire from what were evidently high- 
power modern guns. The shells dropped thick and fast over or short 
of the Massachusetts, and the American blue-jackets jeered and laughed 
at the bad aim of the Spaniards. One very well-put shot went close, 
through the upperworks of the Massachusetts, but it did not hit any- 
thing and simply made a splashing in the water upon the other side of 
the battleship. 

"Well, the dagoes are getting a little better," said a sailor. 
The remark caused another waggish blue-jacket to say: 
"Oh, give them a year and they will learn to shoot." 
The long rifles oi the New Orleans were by this time playing a 
tattoo on the low lying lorts near the entrance, so as to draw their fire 
and ascertain their range, and the Iowa's biggest twelve-inch guns were 
hurling steel projectiles into the harbor entrance. 

The forts kept up a perfect cannonade and some of their shots were 
well aimed, so far as the range was concerned, but they were not 
effective. 



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RECONNAISSANCE 195 

The Cristobal Colon opened fire with her big guns, but her shells 
never once came near the line. 

After running a mile to the eastward the Massachusetts, followed 
by the other American warships, circled around and ran back over very 
nearly the same course, steaming west by south. On getting near the 
same range at which the firing opened before, the warships fired with 
their starboard batteries, and after delivering one round drew out of the 
Spaniards' range. Commodore Schley saying as he stepped to the 
quarter-deck : 

"Well, we let them know that we have some ammunition, and I 
know their capacity for defense." 

COMMODORE OUTWITS SPANISH 

For half an hour after the ships had passed a mile out of the range 
of the shore batteries and the Cristobal Colon, the Spaniards kept up 
their fire. Then it became known, by the placement of the shot, that 
the enemy had plotted a neat little plan that might have succeeded had 
there been good gunnery. The modern guns on shore had found thq 
range of the place where the Flying Squadron would have to pass in 
order to fire on the Cristobal Colon and had trained their guns to play 
on that spot. But Commodore Schley beat them at their own game by 
going by at ten knots' speed and firing on the fly. 

THE HARBOR OF SANTIAGO WELL FORTIFIED 

The firing disclosed the existence of a new battery mounted with 
ten-inch modern guns just east of Morro Castle, and it also revealed 
the fact that two modern guns were mounted to the rear of the Morro. 
Then it was seen that to the west of the entrance and opposite Morro 
Castle were two batteries of earthwork with modern guns. Besides 
this the Reina Mercedes had two loaded torpedo tubes looking down 



196 RECONNAISSANCE 

the harbor, and as in one place the channel is only one hundred yards 
wide and five fathoms deep, it can be seen- that the entrance to the 
harbor of Santiago de Cuba was easily defended and almost impossible 
of ingress without meeting a fire that would sink a ship and prevent 
anything from coming in after it. In addition to its coast and harbor 
defense the channel was mined. 

WHAT PERPLEXED THE ENEMY 

Undoubtedly a thing that perplexed, and yet could not fail to inter- 
est our enemies ashore, was the fact that while three of the American 
warships spitting fire and defiance were hurling their shells into 
Santiago harbor and making the first hostile demonstration off the 
southern coast of Cuba, three or four others were quietly coaling from 
colliers they had brought along with them, while those of their officers 
and crew who were not engaged in this occupation crowded upon the 
superstructures and mastheads, glasses in hand, and watched the bom- 
bardment with the same interest as they would watch a baseball or foot- 
ball game. 

Perhaps the best description of Schley during this fight that has 
been given was that remark of Captain Higginson, the commander of 
the Massachusetts, who, when asked what was Commodore Schley's 
attitude during the bombardment, replied: "It was that of a commander- 
in-chief." 

THE COMMODORE'S ACCOUNT OF THE BOMBARDMENT 

The Commodore himself gives an accurate description of the bom- 
bardment, and the reasons for it. He says: 

"On the 31st, whilst the Brooklyn and the Marblehead and Texas 
were coaling, I transferred my flag to the Massachusetts, and deter- 
mined that I would develop the fortifications, because the information 
which we had on board, from the Hydrographic Office, was rather unde- 



RECONNAISSANCE 197 

termined. I think one source of information stated that the batteries 
were old and another stated that Krupps were mounted. The general 
belief, however, was that all of the southern places were very heavily 
fortified. In fact, we knew very little about the effect of the higher 
power artillery, either on shore, in emplacements, or on board ship in 
batteries. Feeling that we ought to know something about the fortifica- 
tions which defended that place, I determined to go in and take advan- 
tage of what I believed to be the longer range of our own guns, and 
develop fully what its defenses were, and incidentally if we could get a 
shot into the Colon, that was lying exposed somewhat, to do it. 

TRANSFERS FLAG TO MASSACHUSETTS 

'*l think we were lying in a position perhaps four to five miles to 
the westward. The steaming in was at slow speed. 1 transferred my 
flag and named 7,000 yards as the range; went on board of the Massa- 
chusetts, and when I got on board it happened to be near the dinner 
hour and Captain Higginson suggested that we postpone until one o'clock 
the going in to develop these batteries. I assented to that, and after 
one o'clock, when the luncheon was over, we went to quarters and 
steamed in pretty nearly head on. 

"I took with me Lieutenant-Commander Sears, Lieutenant Wells, 
Ensign McCauley, and Mr. George E. Graham, the correspondent of 
the Associated Press, who was most earnest in his request to go with 
us. 1 demurred for some time, feeling that one who was not paid for 
fighting ought not really to be exposed. He was there in the interest of 
the press and 1 thought 1 would spare him ; but we got on board and 
went to quarters, and before going to quarters, while we were standing 
in, Captain Higginson and 1 had a talk over the matter. I did not feel 
excited myself or nervous over it, because if 1 had, I need not have 
undertaken it ; but 1 had some regard for those people who were stand- 



1 98 RE CONN A ISSA NCE 

ing upon the turret, because I was afraid that the shock of the great 
guns might injure them, and I called to them. I said: 'I would not 
take such a position — a position of such exposure. You do not have to 
do it, but I have to.' I was upon the platform, or at least the gallery, 
which surrounded the conning tower. 

THE NEW ORLEANS ENGAGED THE BATTERIES 

"I gave the distance as 7,000 yards. Mr. Potts reported to Cap- 
tain Higginson, in my hearing, that we were on that range. Captain 
Higginson reported to me. I told him, of course, to take up his opera- 
tions as directed. 

"The moment that we opened fire the heavier guns were directed 
at the Colon, and a signal was made by my direction from the Massa- 
chusetts to the New Orleans to engage the batteries. But the moment 
that we began firing, the batteries on the hills to the eastward of the 
Morro, and the Socapa, and the Morro itself opened. There was a slope 
to the westward upon which there was a battery firing smokeless pow- 
der, for I could only see the flashes; and that was true as well of the 
battery to the eastward of the Morro. The Socapa seemed to me to be 
the only fortification that used smoking powder. Quite a storm of pro- 
jectiles came out. They impressed me as being guns of six or eight- 
inch calibre. There were many passed over the squadron. The Vixen 
was lying half a mile outside of the squadron, and shell went over her. 

THE SPANIARDS USE LONG RANGE GUNS 

"I could not see the firing in the harbor, but I assumed that they 
were firing at random over the hills, in view of the long range of these 
guns; but the Socapa battery unquestionably reached us and sent shells 
over us. I do not know whether their guns were superior or not, but 
the fact was, they did go beyond us. It was therefore military folly to 



RECONNAISSANCE 201 

risk any of our battleships, especially after the instructions which we 
had received, so as to have occasioned any diminution of force under 
the then existing circumstances. If we had lost one or two, or injured 
one or two of our vessels, the squadron, composed of only five or six 
ships, would have been at a very great disadvantage, and it probably 
might have invited an attack which would have had disastrous results." 



10 



CHAPTER XI 
HOBSON'S EXPLOIT 

ON THE morning of June 1st at daylight, ships were sighted and 
were quickly made out to be the New ^' rc, flying the broad 
pennant of Rear-Admiral William T. Sampson ; . le Oregon, fresh from 
her long journey around the coast ; and a couple of full-stocked colliers, 
completing practically the North Atlantic squadron with which Sampson, 
now assuming command, would commence the blockade of the harbor. 
In plain sight, near the harbor entrance, lay the Spanish cruiser, Cris- 
tobal Colon, and there she remained until nearly eleven o'clock that 
morning, when she picked up her anchor and moved further up the bay. 
The ships of the squadron swung idly around all through the day, 
a few of them coaling, but no attempt being made to further reconnoitre, 
or to attack the enemy. Commodore Schley reported to Admiral Samp- 
son that he had sent ashore a Cuban pilot with orders to get a look at 
the harbor and return not later than the morning of June 4th. Admiral 
Sampson gave his approval to this procedure, and ordered that the pilot 
report to him upon his return. 

BOTTLING UP THE SPANISH FLEET 

The next morning, June 2d, after an uneventful night and after 
Admiral Sampson had determined that the blockade should be an 
immobile one with the vessels remaining in a fixed semi-circle, he 
broached the idea of sending into the harbor entrance a collier, sinking 

203 



204 HOBSON'S EXPLOIT 

her there for the purpose of "bottling up" the Spanish fleet. The idea 
had already been spoken of to Admiral Schley by the Navy Department, 
which had asked him to use his judgment as to the policy of sending in 
an old hulk loaded with stones, and allowing the enemy to sink her with 
torpedoes or shots. The Commodore had always taken the attitude that 
we should offer every inducement for the fleet to come out; that whil§ 
inside they were a menace to the army, but that if they ever did com^ 
outside we could certainly whip them. He reiterated these views to 
Admiral Sampson, and when told that Lieutenant Hobson, of the Con^ 
Struction Corps of the Navy, had volunteered to take in a ship, and, with 
the assistance of five or six men, sink her, he still further objected on 
the ground that it v/as a sacrifice of human life, with the chances ninety- 
nine to a hundred that it v/ould not succeed, and, finally, that the collier 
would prove as much of a menace to us if we attempted to go in as to thQ 
Spaniards if they attempted to come out. 

DECIDES TO SINK COLLIER AT ENTRANCE OF SANTIAGO HARBOR 

But it would appear that before reaching Santiago Admiral Samp- 
son had practically decided to make the attempt to close the harbor, 
having talked over the matter with Lieutenant Hobson, of the Naval Con- 
struction Department, who had been assigned to the New York by the 
Navy Department for the purpose of watching the effects of shots upon 
war vessels, and also the actions of the ships themselves. A study of 
the details of the harbor of Santiago after Commodore Schley had suc- 
ceeded in his famous "bottling up of the Spaniards" there, demonstrated 
the fact that the neck, at a point about 300 yards inside the highlands at 
the mouth, had an extreme width of 1,000 yards, and that of that width 
but about 500 feet had the requisite depth of water to allow of the 
passage of vessels of war drawing twenty or more feet. 

In fact, so fully had the determination been made to sink a collier in 



nOBSON'S EXPLOIT 207 

the entrance, that Admiral Sampson and Lieutenant Hobson, as we 
afterward learned, had, on the way from the northern coast to Santiago, 
perfected all the technical plans for the attempt, so that upon arrival off 
the blockade all that remained to be done was the actual work of pre- 
paring the collier. 

LIEUTENANT HOBSON'S TRAITS OF CHARACTER 

Lieutenant Hobson was a very young man, twenty-eight years of 
age, but had already risen to a place of prominence in his profession. 
Studious, retiring, reticent, and of a thoroughly independent nature, 
having always clearly demonstrated a tendency to mark out new roads 
for himself as much as was permissible with naval rulings, he attracted 
companions to him by his forceful self-reliance, and by his careful and 
unsuperficial view of situations. Sampson, possessing many of the same 
splendid attributes, had taken a liking to the young officer, and had agreed 
to his suggested plans of attempting to pen in the Spanish fleet. This 
remarkable young officer had not come to his superior with a verbal sug- 
gestion merely, and expecting the Admiral to perfect the details, but, 
with the methodical genius for which he was noted not only through the 
war but during his school days, Hobson had presented plans and draw- 
ings and specifications to show its feasibility, and at the same time 
proffered a request, amounting to as nearly a demand as discipline would 
allow, that he be permitted to personally conduct the expedition. 

One of the chief characteristics of Admiral Sampson is his unwill- 
ingness to risk human life, and when Hobson first propounded his plan 
there was a flat objection. The Lieutenant, however, insisted that it 
had been shown, both in actual and mimic warfare, that it is possible for 
a penned in fleet to sometimes creep through the blockading line, and 
that Spain's fast fleet might readily escape from Santiago harbor in heavy 
weather, thus undoing the splendid accomplishment of Schley, so, as I 



208 BOBSON'S EXPLOIT 

have before said, the Admiral finally fully agreed with Hobson's sug- 
gestions. 

"You may attempt your plan," said Sampson, "but you must do it 
with as little sacrifice of life as possible; and every man who goes with 
you must fully understand the danger, and that his going is purely vol- 
untary." 

THE MERRIMAC SELECTED AS THE SACRIFICE 

It was decided that the Merrimac, the ill-fated collier that had caused 
Commodore Schley so much trouble and annoyance, was to be the sac- 
rifice, and in her glorious ending she retrieved her honor. She was an 
iron ship of some 4,000 tons, and about 330 feet long, with triple expan- 
sion engines. She had on board, the day her fate was decided, about 
2,300 tons of coal, and when the New York arrived, was lying alongside 
the Massachusetts, replenishing the warship's depleted bunkers. Quickly, 
as the final choice of the collier was made, the signal was flown from 
the flagship that volunteers were wanted "for a desperate and perhaps 
fatal expedition," and that but one man could be sent from a ship. And 
then came a reply that should be as famed in verse and song as was the 
famous "Charge of the Light Brigade," by Tennyson's immortal pen. 
Not sustained by the heat of battle, nor by a fierce desire to repay shot 
for shot, or blow for blow, but with a knowledge that their duty would be 
quietly waiting in an attempt to accomplish their object before they were 
picked off like pigeons at a "shoot," the reply was wig-wagged from every 
ship in the fleet, that not one man had volunteered but, instead, nearly 
the entire ship's crew stood ready for the attempt, officers and men 
alike — hundreds anxious to do what only a bare half dozen might 
accomplish. 

"Every man on this ship wants to go," signaled Captain "Bob" 
Evans, of the Iowa. 

"We can give you 250 volunteers," came the wig-wag from Philip, 



HOBSON'S EXPLOIT 209 

of the Texas, while from the Brooklyn the message came, "Two-thirds 
of the Brooklyn's crew are fighting for first place." Finally, it had to 
be left to the commanding officers of the ships to choose each one 
man, and even with the authority vested in them, it was a difficult task. 
The first seaman known to have volunteered was William F. Snod- 
grass, a boatswain's mate of the cruiser Brooklyn. His selection almost 
caused a riot on board the Brooklyn, the many other disappointed men 
claiming that his previous knowledge of the expedition gave him the 
advantage. So bitter did the warfare of the men seeking glory in prob- 
able death become, that the matter was finally referred to the executive 
officer, Lieutenant-Commander Mason, who selected another man, much 
to the disappointment of Snodgrass. 

LEFT TO HOBSON TO CHOOSE HIS CREW 

On the Texas and on the cruiser New York, as well as on other 
ships of the squadron, similar scenes were being enacted, while the 
crew of the Merrimac strenuously protested that they, having always 
manned the ship, should now be the ones to reap her glory. Finally it 
was left to Lieutenant Hobson to choose his own crew of six men, the 
number he considered adequate for the enterprise. The first six men 
selected from the ships of the Flying Squadron were: Richard Dalton, of 
the Brooklyn; P. J. Doyle, of the Texas; J. W. Neill, of the New 
Orleans; W. Anderson, of the Massachusetts; Thomas Wade, of the 
Vixen; and P. Murphy, of the Iowa. These men, envied by nearly 
every other man on the fleet, were put at work, together with the crew 
of the collier, and some hands from the Texas and the New York, clearing 
the Merrimac of all her portable, valuable property, and preparing her 
for her last voyage. 

But the trouble among the men, which had momentarily been stilled, 
broke out afresh and still more virulently, each projecting some special 



210 HOBSON'S EXPLOIT 

reason for which he should be more fitted to join the expedition than his 
fellow. Captain Miller, of the Merrimac, claimed his right as command- 
ing officer to go in with the Merrimac, but his request was finally denied 
by Admiral Sampson, as the Captain, not being familiar with Hobson's 
plans, could have been only a passenger, while the tremendous 
exposure to which the men would be subjected if any survived the sink- 
ing of the collier, precluded any but young men taking part in the 
expedition. The controversy among the men was finally decided by 
Admiral Sampson, who ruled that Lieutenant Hobson should be the 
only officer aboard the Merrimac, and that her crew should be made up 
half of men who formerly served on the collier, and half of men from the 
New York. The men who finally constituted the crew, and who 
accompanied Lieutenant Hobson were: 

THE BRAVE CREW OF THE MERRIMAC 

Daniel Montague, of Brooklyn, N. Y.; George Charette, of Paw- 
tucketnele, Mass. ; J. C. Murphy (residence unknown), all of the New 
York; Oscar Deignan, of Ohio; George F. Phillips and Francis Kelly, 
of the Massachusetts, all three members of the former Merrimac crew. 
There was one other man aboard, H. Clausen, of New York City, who 
had stolen there from a launch of the cruiser New York and stowed 
himself away, and who was not discovered until the collier was well on 
into the harbor. 

It was expected that the collier would make the attempt to enter 
the harbor the night of June 2d, but it v/as impossible to complete 
arrangements in time, so it was not until the night of the 3d that she 
finally got under way. 

THE GENERAL PLAN OF THE MAN(EUVRE 

The general plan of the manoeuvre, as decided upon and approved 
by the Admiral, was to approach at full speed, stopping a short distance 



HOBSON'S EXPLOIT 213 

from the entrance, so that a speed of about four and a half or five knots 
should be attained when ready for the final movements. Here the helm 
was to be put hard aport, and as the ship began to swing the starboard 
bow anchor would be dropped with sixty fathoms of chain; while, further 
in, in a second position, the starboard stern anchor was to be dropped 
with forty fathoms of chain, thus permitting the ship to take the desired 
position, where she would be lying on a span directly athwart. The 
nose of the vessel would stick into the shoal on the channel's right, so 
that in case the anchor chain were carried away, the movement would 
cause the vessel to throw her port quarter into the shoal on the port 
side, the bank being only one and a fourth fathoms deep. 

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE COLLIER PERFECTED 

On Wednesday night, just after dark, the arrangements for the 
collier were practically perfected, the guns, furniture and provisions 
having all been removed, and the coal shifted so that the collier lay on 
an even keel. 

During the afternoon I had gone aboard the Merrimac to witness 
the preparations, and the picked crew for the expedition, seeing my 
camera, had ranged up in line and proffered the request that I should 
take their photograph. And this, not for the purpose of sending them 
to their families, but that they might have them when they returned 
from sinking the Merrimac. This spirit of courage and faith was 
evinced so plainly, that there were found hidden away in the hold of the 
Merrimac four sailors from the Texas. When discovered and hauled 
to the deck, the spokesman said regretfully, "Well, we just wanted to 
see the fun." 

LIEUTENANT HOBSON DETAILS HIS PLANS 

In the evening, over on the New York, Lieutenant Hobson gave the 
only interview which he permitted to any one. He said: 



214 ■ HOB SON'S EXPLOIT 

"\ shall go right into the harbor until about 400 yards past the 
Estrella battery, which is behind Morro Castle. I do not think they can 
sink me before 1 reach somewhere near that point. The Merrimac has 
7,000 tons buoyancy, and I shall keep her full speed ahead. She can 
make about ten knots. 

" When the narrowest part of the channel is reached 1 shall put 
her helm hard aport, stop the engines, drop the anchors, open the sea 
connections, touch off the torpedoes and 'leave the Merrimac a wreck, 
lying athwart the channel, which is not as broad as the Merrimac is long. 

"There are ten eight-inch improvised torpedoes below the water 
line on the Merrimac's port side. They are placed on her side against 
the bulkheads and vital spots, connected with each other by a wire 
under the ship's keel. Each torpedo contains eighty-two pounds of 
gunpowder. Each torpedo is also connected with the bridge, and they 
should do their work in a minute, and it will be quick work even if 
done in a minute and a quarter. 

HOW HE DISTRIBUTED HIS LITTLE CREW 

"On deck there will be four men and myself. In the engine room 
there will be two other men. This is the total crew, and all of us will 
be in our underclothing, with revolvers and ammunition in the water- 
tight packing strapped around our waists. Forward there will be a 
man on deck, and around his waist will be a line, the other end of the 
line being made fast to the bridge, where I will stand. 

"By that man's side will be an axe. When I stop the engines I 
shall jerk this cord and he will thus get the signal to cut the lashing 
which will be holding the forward anchor. He will then jump over- 
board and swim to the four-oared dingy which we shall tow astern. 
The dingy is full of life buoys and is unsinkable. In it are rifles. It is 
to be held by two ropes, one made fast at her bow and one at her stern. 



HOB SON'S EXPLOIT 215 

The first man to reach her will haul in the tow line and pull the dingy 
out to starboard. The next to leave the ship are the rest of the crew. 
The quartermaster at the wheel will not leave until after having put it 
hard aport and lashed it so ; he will then jump overboard. 

EACH MAN HAD A SPECIFIC DUTY TO PERFORM 

"Down below the man at the reversing gear will stop the engines, 
scramble on deck and get over the side as quickly as possible. 

"The man in the engine room will break open the sea connections 
with a sledge hammer, and will follow his leader into the water. This 
last insures the sinking of the Merrimac whether the torpedoes work or 
not. 

"By this time I calculate the six men will be in the dingy and the 
Merrimac will have swung athwart the channel to the full length of her 
300 yard of cable, which will have been paid out before the anchors 
were cut loose. 

"Then all that is left for me is to touch the button. 1 shall stand 
on the starboard side of the bridge. The explosion will throw the Mer- 
rimac on her starboard side. Nothing on this side of New York City 
will be able to raise her after that." 

THE MERRIMAC STARTS ON HER PERILOUS MISSION 

It was two o'clock on the morning of June 3d when the expedition 
finally got away. On the bridge of the Brooklyn stood Commodore 
Schley, Flag-Lieutenant Sears, Captain Murphy, Dr. DeValin, and the 
writer. Lieutenant Rush, officer of the deck, with his glass on the 
doomed ship, said at precisely 2:15, "She is moving," and from that 
time on for over an hour scarcely a word passed any one's lips. The 
moon shone quite brightly toward the Morro, bringing out its white 
stone face sharply against the black background. The coal steamer, 



^16 HOBSON'S EXPLOIT 

Without a light of any Icind and not showing a particle of smoke, n^oved 
along like a huge ghost ship on the dark, gray sea. On her bridge, as 
she passed under the Brooklyn's stern, could be seen three of her gallant 
crew, and one, whom we decided to be Hobson, removed his hat, while 
Commodore Schley leaned forward, and waving his cap, said, "God 
bless you, my boy; good luck." 

MAKES FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE HARBOR 

Slowly the Merrimac passed on toward the black opening beneath 
the Morro that, faced by tv/o sharp hills, looked like a yawning cavern 
of death. From the bridge, as we viewed it, the setting moon striking 
the yellowish stone of the castle and throwing the gorge at the entrance 
into a deep shadow, made the effect of a huge gaping mouth with a 
single gleam-ing eye above it, waiting and v/atching for its prey. When 
about two miles from Morro the Merrimac turned slightly to the v/est 
and ran into the dense shadow of the great hill at that side of the 
entrance. Then, running at full speed, she dashed for the entrance, 
and at 3:15 we, straining our eyes through the night glasses, saw the 
tiny black speck slip through the opening. For ten minutes hearts beat 
faster and faster, and then suddenly a Spanish gun on shore spit her 
first venomous fire, and in a moment the dark mouth had become a 
cauldron of flame and shell, the water whipped into a phosphorescent 
glare by the rainfall of bullets, while the echo of the huge guns' loud 
mouthings reverberated from hill to hill, and finally swept out over the 
water to us who were waiting on the ships, vainly trying to pierce the 
hellish glare for a glimpse of the Merrimac. 

TERRIBLE BAPTISM OF FIRE FROM THE SPANISH 

Hearts sank at the awful spectacle, and prayers went up for the 
safety of the little crew, but it seemed as though there could be scant 



>■«' 











^ 

^ o 



a h 
w - 



HOBSON'S EXPLOIT 219 

hope for those who had entered into "the jaws of death, into the mouth 
of hcil." For thirty-five minutes this terrible baptism of fire continued, 
the entire harbor apparently being covered by the guns, while the 
searchlights of the enemy could be seen seeking here and there for the 
stranger, and then, at 3:50, all was suddenly silenced, and darkness 
curtained the scene. 



CHAPTER XII 
AN ESCAPE 

UNTIL daylight, we sat anxiously awaiting for a possible sign of life 
from the harbor. In the early morning, the little steam launch 
that had followed the Merrimac out a few hours previous steamed from 
near the mouth of the batteries and announced, "Nobody has returned. 
But," added the boyish commander, as the launch steamed away, his 
enthusiasm for Hobson's splendid action overwhelming for the moment 
his loss of a friend, "he did it just the same." 

A GROUP OF BRAVE MEN 

The coming of this little launch, even though it brought dishearten- 
ing news, was also joyfully received, for it brought back a group of brave 
men— young Naval-Cadet J. W. Powell, and P. K. Peterson, H. Han- 
ford, J. Mullings, and 0. L. Russell, all of the flagship New York. 
Powell was really almost a mere boy, being one of the Naval Academy 
class who, like the class at West Point, had at the commencement of 
the war been drafted into active service before being graduated. He 
had been chosen by Admiral Sampson to take the launch on its peril- 
ous task, not only on account of his cool-headedness and ability to 
command, but because of h^ great love and friendship for Lieutenant 
Hobson, under whose tuition he had been at Annapolis. When the 
Merrimac had slipped away from the fleet, out into the darkness on her 
dash for the harbor, following in her wake like a plucky terrier, had run 

221 



222 ^N ESCAPE 

the little launch, so that if after the sinking of the collier any of her crew 
escaped, they would find help at hand. 

THE LITTLE LAUNCH SCOUTS FOR SURVIVORS 

In the early morning light the little launch had scouted back and 
forth across the harbor entrance in a vain search for any survivors. It 
had suddenly been discovered by the gunners on Morro, and from the 
Brooklyn we saw the flashes of fire and puffs of light smoke that told 
she was being attacked. With our glasses we saw young Powell head 
his launch in toward the shore, until he was so close under the hills 
that the guns could not be trained on him, and then creep along in the 
shadows in an endeavor to get out of range. When he considered, evi- 
dently, that he was safe from their projectiles, he turned to run out to sea, 
and brave Captain Jack Philip, always ready and generous to assist, 
headed the Texas in to meet him. Some shots from the Morro fell 
short, and in a few moments the little launch ran alongside the fleet and 
we were told of the fear that all the Merrimac's crew had been killed. 

MOMENTS OF HORRIBLE SUSPENSE 

All this time Schley had stood on the bridge, watching every move- 
ment of the collier and launch, and during the latter's final dash I had 
seen him lean forward and grasp, almost spasmodically, the binoculars, 
while his lips moved as if in prayer. And when, finally, the Texas had 
picked her up, and the two were near at hand, I saw his whole figure 
relax, a smile come over his face, while he murmured a fervent, low, 
"Thank God." But as the sad report was made that nothing had been 
seen of Hobson or his men, though the search had been thorough, the 
Commodore's face saddened, and turning quietly tov/ard the Morro he 
stood for a moment gazing at its grim outline, and with tears gathering 
in his eyes, said, "Too bad, too bad. But they met the death of heroes." 



AN ESCAPE 225 

A little later young Powell told the exceeding modest story of his 
exploit, evidently considering the action of himself and his men of no 
account, and giving all the glory and honor to Hobson. Cadet Powell 
said: 

CADET POWELL'S ACCOUNT 

" During the early night Lieutenant Hobson took a short sleep for a 
few hours, which was often interrupted. A quarter to two he came on 
deck and made a final inspection, giving his last instruction. Then we 
had a little lunch. Hobson was as cool as a cucumber. About 2:30 
o'clock I took the men who were not going on the trip into launches 
and started for the Texas, the nearest ship, but had to go back for the 
engineers whom Hobson finally compelled to leave. Hobson said: 
' Powell, watch the boat's crew when we pull out of the harbor. We 
will be cracks, rowing thirty strokes to the minute.' 

"After leaving the Texas I saw the Merrimac steaming slowly in. It 
was only fairly dark then, and the shore was quite visible. We followed 
about three-quarters of a mile astern. 

FIRING ON THE MERRIMAC 

"The Merrimac stood about a mile to the westward of the harbor and 

seemed a bit mixed, but turned, and finally heading to the east she ran 

down and then turned in. We were at that time chasing him, because 

1 thought Hobson had lost his bearings. When Hobson was about 300 

yards from the harbor, the first gun was fired from the east bluff. We 

were then half a mile off shore, close under the batteries. The firing 

increased rapidly. We steamed in slowly and lost sight of the Merrimac 

in the smoke which the wind carried off shore. It hung heavily. Before 

Hobson could have blown up the Merrimac the western battery picked 

us up and commenced firing. They shot wild and we only heard the 
11 



226 AN ESCAPE 

shots. We ran in still closer to the shore, and the gunners lost sight 
of us. Then we heard the explosion of the torpedoes on the Merrimac. 

KEPT A SHARP LOOKOUT FOR SWIMMERS 

" Until daylight we waited just outside the breakers, half a mile to 
the westward of the Morro, keeping a bright lookout for the boat or for 
swimmers, but saw nothing. Hobson had arranged to meet us at that 
point, but thinking that some one might have drifted out we crossed in 
front of Morro and the mouth of the harbor to the eastward. About five 
o'clock we crossed the harbor again within a quarter of a mile and stood 
to the westward. In doing this we saw one spar of the Merrimac stick- 
ing out of the water. We hugged the shore just outside the breakers 
for a mile, and then turned toward the Texas, when the batteries saw 
us and opened fire. It was broad daylight then. The first shot fired 
dropped thirty yards astern, but the other shots went wild. 

" I drove the launch for all she was worth, finally making the New 
York. The men behaved splendidly." 

A FEELING OF DEPRESSION ON BOARD 

All through the day there was a feeling of depression aboard the 
fleet, and there were many surmises as to the probable fate of the 
Merrimac's crew; but at four o'clock there was a ripple of excitement, 
for the call to quarters was sounded, a boat having been sighted 
coming out of the entrance. All glasses were trained upon it, and very 
quickly it was discovered to be a small Spanish gunboat, carrying the 
flag of truce. Slowly it crept out toward the middle of our line, and 
then hesitated, evidently bewildered as to whether the New York or the 
Brooklyn was the flagship. Admiral Sampson, noticing her uncertainty, 
moved in closer to the entrance, and in a few minutes took her officer 
aboard. The next few moments were fraught with awful anxiety for all 



AN ESCAPE 227 

on board the other ships, and when the Spaniards were seen to descend 
the side of the Nev/ York, and their gunboat steamed off toward shore 
and still no sign was made from the flagship, there was many a query 
and supposition as to the meaning of the visit. 

HOBSON AND HIS MEN NOT KILLED 

The New York steamed back to her place in line, and then a string 
of tiny flags was seen creeping up her mast, which, as the breeze caught 
them and snapped out their multi-colored folds, the signal officer of the 
Brooklyn read and in an exultant tone announced that neither Hobson 
nor any of his men had been killed or wounded. The relief was so great 
that for a moment there was a complete silence as we tried to grasp the 
full import of the signal, but suddenly there was a hurricane of cheers 
that shook the very air, rising louder and louder as the men's joy found 
expression. Men fell on each other's necks and hugged each other, 
and many a weather-beaten tar I saw with tears streaming down his 
face. On the bridge the officers were most jubilant, while Schley, his 
face radiant with joy, exclaimed, "It is wonderful! Surely the day of 
miracles is not past." 

CARRIED AS PRISONERS TO MORRO CASTLE 

Soon more detailed information was received aboard, and we 
learned that gallant old Admiral Cervera, being so impressed with the 
courage of the Merrimac's crew that he felt Admiral Sampson should 
know they had not lost their lives, had accordingly chivalrously sent out 
under a flag of truce his chief-of-staff, Captain Ovido. Captain Ovido 
said that Hobson's undertaking was a success, that the Merrimac had 
been sunk, and that he and his men had attempted to escape on a cata- 
maran attached to the collier, its row boat having been shot away. 
While drifting about, however, they had been picked up by Admiral Cer- 



228 AN ESCAPE 

vera and his officers, taken prisoners and sent to Santiago city under 
guard, later being placed in Morro Castle. The Spanish officer courte- 
ously offered to carry any supplies to the prisoners, and so returned with 
money, clothing, and provisions for Hobson and his men. 

Later we learned that the Merrimac's officer and crew had been 
confined in the Morro during our first bombardment of the fort, and had 
perhaps been in almost as much danger from the fire of their country- 
men's guns as they had been previously from those of the Spaniards. 

HOBSON TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 

It was after the release of Hobson and his men from Santiago, and 
after he had made his formal report to Admiral Sampson, that he talked 
a little more fully about his experiences. He was very modest and did 
not seem to realize the wonderful sensation his daring exploit had 
created throughout the country. It was with some difficulty he was per- 
suaded to speak of himself, although he referred in most glowing terms 
to the intrepidity of his little crew. 

"We have been thirty-three days in a Spanish prison," said Mr. 
Hobson, "and the more I think about it the more marvelous it seems 
that we are alive. 

"It was about three o'clock in the morning when the Merrimac 
entered the narrow channel and steamed in under the guns of Morro 
Castle. The stillness of death prevailed. It was so dark that we could 
scarcely see the headland. We had planned to drop our starboard 
anchor at a certain point to the right of the channel, reverse our engines 
and then swing the Merrimac around, sinking her directly across the 
channel. 

DISCOVERED BY SPANISH PICKET BOAT 

"This plan was adhered to, but circumstances rendered its execu- 
tion impossible. When the Merrimac poked her nose into the chan- 



AN ESCAPE 231 

nel, our troubles commenced. The deadly silence was broken by the 
wash of a small boat approaching us from the shore. I made her out to 
be a picket boat. 

"She ran close up under the stern of the Merrimac and fired 
several shots from what seemed to be three-pounders. The Merri- 
mac's rudder was carried away by this fire. That is why the collier was 
not sunk across the channel. 

"We did not discover the loss of the rudder until Murphy cast 
anchor. We then found that the Merrimac would not answer to the 
helm, and were compelled to make the best of the situation. 

SPANISH FLEET AND SHORE BATTERIES OPEN FIRE 

"The run up the channel was very exciting. The picket boat had 
given the alarm, and in a moment the guns of the Viscaya, the Almi- 
rante Oquendo, and of the shore batteries were turned upon us. 

"Submarine mines and torpedoes also were exploded all about us, 
adding to the excitement. The mines did no damage, although we could 
hear rumbling and could feel the ship tremble. 

"We were running without lights, and only the darkness saved us 
from utter destruction. When the ship was in the desired position and 
we found that the rudder was gone I called the men on deck. While 
they were launching the catamaran I touched off the explosives. 

"At the same moment two torpedoes, fired by the Reina Mercedes, 
struck the Merrimac amidships. 1 cannot say whether our own 
explosives or the Spanish torpedoes did the work, but the Merrimac 
was lifted out of the water and almost rent asunder. 

SPANISH THOUGHT MERRIMAC WAS AN AMERICAN WARSHIP 

"As she settled down we scrambled overboard and cut away the 
catamaran. A great cheer went up from the forts and warships as the 



232 AN ESCAPE 

hold of the collier foundered, the Spaniards thinking that the Merrimac 
was an American warship. 

"We attempted to get out of the harbor in the catamaran, but a 
strong tide was running, and daylight found us still struggling in the 
water. Then for the first time the Spaniards saw us, and a boat from 
the Reina Mercedes picked us up. It then was shortly after five o'clock 
in the morning, and we had been in the water more than an hour. We 
were taken aboard the Reina Mercedes and later were sent to Morro 
Castle. 

"In Morro we were confined in cells in the inner side of the fortress, 
and were there the lirst day the fleet bombarded Morro. I could only 
hear the whistling of the shells and the noise they made when they 
struck, but I judged from the conversation of the guards that the shells 
did considerable damage. 

"After this bombardment Mr. Ramsden, the British consul, protested, 
and we were removed to the hospital. There I was separated from the 
other men in our crew, and could see them only by special permission. 
Montague and Kelly fell ill two weeks ago, suffering from malaria, and 
I was permitted to visit them twice. 

"Mr. Ramsden was very kind to us, and demanded that Montague 
and Kelly be removed to better quarters in the hospital. This was done. 

"As for myself, there is little to say. The Spanish were not dis- 
posed to do much for the comfort of any of the prisoners at first, but 
after our army had taken some of their men as prisoners our treatment 
was better. Food is scarce in the city, and 1 was told that v/e fared 
better than the Spanish officers." 



CHAPTER XIII 
THE BOMBARDMENT 

A HALF- NAKED man, sticking his head out of the forward eight- 
inch gun-turret on the Brooklyn to get a breath of air, called 
back to where Commodore Schley and I stood, as a couple of big 
shells whistled over our heads and struck in the water beyond: " Funny 
song they sing, sir," and then disappeared. The Commodore looked 
around at me, and smilingly said, although in a rather grewsome way, 
" He'll never hear the one that hits him if he is unfortunate enough to 
be hit." 

Five marines who acted as messengers stood on the deck in the 
lee of the conning tower and watched the Commodore curiously as he 
stood, glasses in hand, on the side toward which the enemy was firing, 
almost vainly in the dense smoke trying to get a view of the fortifications. 

SERVING A BREAKFAST OF PROJECTILES 

It was seven o'clock on the morning of July 6th, and five days 
after his arrival, when Admiral Sampson was making his first attempt 
to reconnoitre the batteries ashore and get an idea of their value. The 
fleet, a very large one by the way, in carrying out this intention was 
serving up a breakfast of steel projectiles of various energies to the 
Spaniards in their well-fortified places ashore. We had partaken of a 
light repast ourselves. The big gongs aboard ship had rung at 5:30 in 
the morning, and we of the ward room mess had gathered in that room 

233 



234 THE BOMBARDMENT 

to fortify ourselves for the fight which was to follow. Commodore 

Schley finding his cabin almost uninhabitable because the wooden 

flooring was being wet down to prevent it taking fire from an enemy's 

shell, and the gunners controlling the two five-inch and two six-pounder 

guns whose breeches found a resting place in the cabin, were wheeling 

in their cartridges, had come down in our ward room to take a bite. 

The electric fixtures could not be lighted for fear the enemy might find 

a resting place for a torpedo, and so, standing up — the table having been 

removed to make way for the men at the torpedo tubes — with a single 

sputtering oil lantern as our only light, we took our bites of hastily 

prepared sandwiches and drank our coffee from thick glasses or heavy 

cups, the fine china having been stored away to avoid damage by 

concussion. 

MORRO CASTLE A BEAUTIFUL TARGET 

Yet the officers stood around in a perfectly nonchalant manner, 
joking and laughing over the way we would probably treat the Dons. 
The only source of regret seemed to be the fact that Morro Castle, a 
picturesque, splendid old ruin and yet a beautiful target, could not be 
used as an objective because the Spaniards — with a sixteenth century 
refinement of cruelty — had confined there Lieutenant Hobson and his 
crew, as a species of protection from our bullets. At least this was the 
information Admiral Sampson had received. 

BEFORE THE FIGHTING BEGAN 

As I passed forward just before the fighting began, this gray, humid 
morning, it was curious to note the bearing of the men. A five-inch- 
gun crew in an exposed place were singing "There'll be a hot time in 
the old town to-night." A group of men on the forward eight-inch turret 
were discussing where the best place to "get a line on" was, and 
everywhere there was jubilation that the ship was going into action. 




The Spanish Officers. 

1 Fernando ViUaamil. 2. John Antonio Eulate. 3. Don Pedro Vazquez. 

1. Fernando vn^^am^ ^ Moreu. 5. Pasquale Cervera. 

6 Don Diego Carlier. 7. Don Victor Concas. 

8. Don Juan Bautista Lazaga. 

(xxxix) 



THE BOMBARDMENT 237 

When the bugle blew for starboard guns to prepare, there was a growl 
of disgust from the men on the port side, and when Lieutenant-Com- 
mander Mason ordered the men at the one-pounder and Colt rapid-fire 
guns to get out of their exposed positions there was almost rebellion. 
So these men hung about on the decks, and watched the effects of the 
gunnery of the American ships. They would cheer well-placed shells 
and laugh uproariously or jeer when a shell from the forts went over 
their heads or struck short. This lack of fear is a curious thing in battle. 

ADMIRAL SAMPSON'S PLAN AN INTERESTING ONE 

Admiral Sampson's plan of fight that morning was an interesting 
one and evidently, if such things can be pre-judged, an effective one. 
The vessels standing out six miles from the fortifications we e to move 
in in two columns directly toward the entrance. To the w( st were the 
Brooklyn, the Marblehead, the Texas, and the Massachusetts. To the 
east were the New York, the Yankee, the New Orleans, the Iowa, and 
the Oregon. As flanking vessels enfilading from each side were the 
Vixen, the Suwanee, the Dolphin, and the Porter. The ships moved 
in to a range of about 3,500 yards and at 7:41 o'clock the Iowa fired 
the first shot. Commodore Schley stood on the bridge of the Brooklyn 
and watched one of the eight-inch turret guns fire the next shot, but the 
smoke rising very thickly from the forward guns, he went down on the 
forward deck and stood on the side of the conning tower exposed to the 
enemy during the remainder of the bombardment. 

SPANISH INSTANTLY RETURN THE FIRE 

The enemy had instantly returned the first shots fired, and we were 
filled with amazement when we noticed that in their endeavor to use 
muzzle-loading guns, although every ship in this large squadron was 
firing at them, they had the temerity and the heroism to get up on the 



238 THE BOMBARDMENT 

parapets of their earthworks and load the cannon. Commodore Schley 

standing and watching them through his glasses, acted like a great boy 

over it. As a big shell from the Texas fell under the parapet of 

La Socapa and lifted earth, debris, and men up in a swirling heap, he 

pointed enthusiastically toward them and exclaimed, "Those fellows 

have got sand. They have the proper spirit." 

For three-quarters of an hour this fleet of thirteen vessels fired 

almost continuously at the earthworks, but with the exception of a 

couple of good shots from the Texas, seemed to do very little harm. 

This was not very surprising considering that we did not know the exact 

height of the Morro, and that we were firing at earthworks about 2 1 

feet high, such an angle of elevation for sh*ells to reach that frequently, 

even if the shell struck the parapet, because of the angle at which it 

was moving there was behind that parapet a line of safety of fully 500 

yards. 

EARTHWORKS WERE BEAUTIFULLY CONSTRUCTED 

These earthworks, as we afterward discovered, were beautifully 
constructed, the base being formed of barrels of cement which had been 
wet down and, therefore, solidified, faced with many feet of sand toward 
the water side, and in a number of places sodded, so that the missiles, 
being base contact shells, would eight cases out of ten slide up the hill- 
side and, losing their momentum, fail to explode. 

At 8:22 Admiral Sampson ordered the fleet to cease firing, and 
immediately following came the further order, "Move in a little closer." 
We moved in to 3,000 yards and at 8:30 o'clock opened fire again. 
Almost the first shot fired by Captain Clark's ship — the Oregon— struck 
a blockhouse on a western hill and set fire to it. The battery on the 
west at about the same time ceased firing and the battery on the east 
simply kept up a spasmodic sort of answer at very great intervals. 

At ten minutes after nine Commodore Schley, being notified by 



THE BOMBARDMENT 239 

Captain Cook that the ship not being under way had swung around so 
that her port batteries were coming into play, ordered the helm star- 
boarded, and the bugle sounded for port batteries to open fire. It was 
an inspiring sight to see the men on the port side, who had been unable 
so far to take part in the combat, rush to their guns with a cheer, eager 
to show their ability, and it was equally as encouraging to hear Com- 
modore Schley say, as he watched them, "They are the bullies who will 
settle the fate of the Spanish fleet." 

EXPENDED $25,000 WORTH OF AMMUNITION 

After twenty-four minutes of firing the Massachusetts signaled that 
so far as she could see we were wasting ammunition by firing any longer, 
because the batteries were apparently silenced, and at 10:05 the fleet 
withdrew. During this bombardment there had hardly been anything in 
the fleet that might be called even an incident. A small projectile had 
shortened the military mast of the Massachusetts, and a shell from a 
mortar had exploded harmlessly over the Suwanee. There were indi- 
cations that the Texas had landed a couple of shots that might have 
injured the batteries, but with the aid of the glasses we could discover 
no serious embrasures, although we had expended $25,000 worth of 
ammunition, and no more information was obtained than that which 
Commodore Schley had secured on May 31st. 

VERY LITTLE DAMAGE DONE 

Some insurgents who came aboard that night informed me that we 
had killed over 300 Spaniards, but this, like all other information obtained 
from the Cubans, was absolutely unreliable, as it was proven later that 
two or three deaths were the extent of damage by our fire that day. 

Notwithstanding the fact that these bombardments appeared to 
have little visible outward effect, Admiral Sampson continued them at 



240 THE BOMBARDMENT 

intervals of four or five days with the evident admirable purpose of keep- 
ing the enemy apprised of the fact that we had plenty of ammunition 
and that our gunnery was fairly accurate. Indeed, we had taken ammu- 
nition from ships sent down with that commodity, and these bombard- 
ments kept the Spaniards from attempting to fortify in any new particulars, 
and also forbade them resurrecting the Merrimac, from the wreck of 
which they might have obtained many tons of coal. 

THE TEXAS DOES GOOD WORK 

Sometimes we knew that we had killed men on the batteries, 
because when we had finished bombarding and had moved out, we would 
see the vultures circling round and swooping down to the places where 
they could smell the blood of our enemies. One day, in fact, we saw an 
officer, sword in hand, running along the parapet of La Socapa, evidently 
urging his men to get up on the earthworks and load the muzzle-loading 
pieces. Finally, we could see six or eight of them like ants crawling 
about the mouths of the old cannon, and evidently cleaning and loading 
them. Suddenly the Texas let fly a twelve-inch shell, and it struck the 
earth just below the busy Spaniards, almost on the crest of the embank- 
ment, and took that crest with its human freight up in the air like so 
many atoms, as it exploded. The cloud of dust settled, but we saw no 
human activity. A little later, however, when v/e moved out to our 
position in line we saw the flag go at half mast. 

Just to the east of the Morro there was quite a modern lighthouse, 
thirty or forty feet high, and there is a sort of international agreement 
that forbids the destruction of lighthouses; but during one of the bom- 
bardments an eight-inch shell struck this lighthouse, undoubtedly 
accidentally, and took one-half of it away, riddling the remainder with 
pieces of the exploded shell. 

In all, between the time that Admiral Sampson arrived and the day 








Gifts Presented to Admiral Schley. 
(xl) 



THE BOMBARDMENT 243 

the decisive battle of Santiago v/as fought, there were five bombard- 
ments by the fleet and one or two smaller movements, such as the 
demonstration at Guantanamo when the marines landed, at Daiquiri 
when the troops landed, and at Altares and Aguadores where there were 
smiall fortifications. 

SHOT FROM OREGON CARRIES AWAY SPANISH FLAG 

One of the bombardments was particularly interesting because 
while the fleet had been ordered by Admiral Sampson not to fire at the 
Morro, where it was supposed Hobson and his men were confined, 
Captain Clark's beautiful Oregon took a pot shot at it one day and 
knocked the Spanish flag dov/n. It was a particularly pretty sight. The 
protected cruisers, the New York and the Brooklyn, and the battleship 
Iowa, which had some trouble with her big guns, moved out of the line, 
while the Oregon, Indiana, and Texas moved in. The fort on the west 
side opened fire on them, and while the little Texas vigorously replied 
to it the Oregon suddenly fired a thirteen-inch shell, which struck full on 
the parapet, just below the flag, demolishing the corner and bringing the 
Spanish red and yellow down in the debris. 

One day the Commander-in-Chief moved down to a little bay called 
Aguadores, where a stone fort commanded a railroad trestle, and 
for a few minutes two or three of the big ships bombarded this place, 
finally silencing it. But to the disgust of everybody, the Spanish red 
and yellow still flew from the flagstaff. Lieutenant-Commander Daniel 
Delehanty, in charge of the converted lighthouse tender Suwanee, 
signaled to Admiral Sampson and asked permission to knock dov/n the 
Spanish flag. His boat wasn't bigger than "a pint of cider," but it flew 
an enormous flag and carried on its bow a four-inch gun. To his query 
Admiral Sampson answered, noticing the distance at which he was 
lying from the fort, "Yes, if you can do it in three shots." 

The Suwanee was moved in to about 1,600 yards and Lieutenant 



244 THE BOMBARDMENT 

Blue, who was in charge of the gun, and Lieutenant-Commander Dele- 
hanty took their time and with great care prepared for their shots. 

The crews of the ships gathered to watch the incident amid intense 
excitement. When the smoke of the Suwanee's first shot cleared away 
only two red streamers of the flag were left. The shell had gone 
through the center of the bunting. A delighted yell broke from the crew 
of the Suwanee. 

Two or three minutes later the Suwanee fired again and a huge 
cloud of debris rose from the base of the flagstaff. For a few seconds 
it was impossible to tell what the effect of the shot had been. Then it 
was seen that the shell had but added to the ruin of the fort. The flag- 
staff seemed to have a charmed existence, and the Suwanee had only 
one chance left. It seemed hardly possible for her to achieve her 
object with the big gun, such a distance and such a tiny target. 

SUSPENSE AMONG THE WATCHING CREWS 

There was breathless silence amon-g the watching crews. They 
crowded on the ships' decks and all eyes were on the tattered rag, 
bending toward the earth, but only bending, not yet down. 

Lieutenant-Commander Delehanty took his time. The Suwanee 
changed her position slightly. Then a puff of smoke shot out from her 
side, up went a spouting cloud of debris from the parapet and down 
went the banner of Spain amid the dust. The Suwanee's last shot had 
struck right at the base of the flagstaff and had blown it clear of the 
wreckage which had held it from finishing its fall. "Well done," sig- 
naled Admiral Sampson to Lieutenant-Commander Delehanty, and the 
little ship with its doughty commander moved up the line amidst the 
cheers of the rest of the fleet. 

It is a curious thing that in all the bombardments, watching the men 
closely, there was no indication that they had any fear whatever of the, 



THE BOMBARDMENT 245 

effects of Spanish gunnery. The effect of a bombardment is peculiarly 
exhilarating. 

True, everybody has a curious sensation as the first few shells of 
the enemy whistle overhead, and when one strikes, with its frightful 
explosion, you look around anxiously for an instant. If the smoke is 
cleared from your ship you will see a puff of smoke from a battery 
ashore. Then, just as you have forgotten the smoke, about three sec- 
onds later, you hear a sound like a swarm of bees humming over your 
head. Pretty soon the shells begin to come faster and faster. They 
drop in the water on both sides of you. One- hits the military mast, and 
the debris of steel and rope and wood comes tumbling about you. You 
look up wonderingly, but give it merely an instant's thought. Then 
your mind reverts to the terrible roar of your own guns, and then comes 
the single idea of keeping outside the radius of fire, not of the enemy's 
guns, but those on your own ship, equally dangerous to your safety, the 
preservation of your ear-drums and your life. 

PERIL FORGOTTEN WHILE UNDER FIRE 

I Stood by Commodore Schley's side, with Flag-Lieutenant Sears, 
during the first two bombardments of Santiago, and we all found our- 
selves absolutely forgetful of peril, watching the shots from different 
turrets and telling the gunners whether to depress or raise the muzzle 
of the gun. We kept accurately the times of all movements, of opening 
fire, of good shots, of silenced batteries, and of "cease firing." The 
balls whistled about with a nasty whine, as if they deplored not being 
able to hit us, but half the time the roar of the fusilade of our own ships 
drowned the complaint of the enemy's missiles. You experienced at 
first a strange feeling of enjoyment not unmixed with terror. Then you 
grew animated and discovered a peculiar sort of charm in the danger and 
in the game of life or death. You found yourself hoping the shells 



246 THE BOMBARDMENT 

would strike closer to you. You looked around at the careless, laughing, 
enthusiastic men, and believed, with Tolstoi, that "consciousness is 
annihilated. At the bottom of each soul there lies that noble spark 
which makes of each man a hero ; but this spark wearies of burning 
clearly, and v/hen the fateful moment comes, it flashes up into a flame 
and illuminates great deeds." 

LIEUTENANT SEARS IN FIGHTING CLOTHES 

During the second engagement, while a hot fire was being poured 
at the Brooklyn, which seemed to be the target for the Spanish, Flag- 
Lieutenant Sears, who had gone into battle in white clothes, which by 
reason of the rain became very much bedraggled, said: " My wife wants 
a picture of me in fighting clothes. Will you take one?" and when I 
assented he stood up in photographic pose, and I "snapped" him. A 
shell exploding just then might have ruined the picture. 

During all these bombardments but one accident occurred to the 
American fleet, for pure accident it seemed to be that a Spanish shell 
should hit one of our vessels. On Wednesday, the 22d of June, when 
the Texas was enfilading the western battery, a shell from a six-inch 
gun on the La Socapa battery entered her gun deck, sped between two 
gun crews who were firing, struck and cut in two a four-inch stanchion 
supporting her deck, and then exploded, killing one man and wounding 
eight on the side opposite from that on which she was firing, men who 
were practically not in the fight. 

$2,000,000 EXPENDED IN WORTHLESS BOMBARDMENTS 

During the five bombardments the fleet expended over $2,000,000 
worth of ammunition, absolutely harmless in its effect so far as the reduc- 
tion of the batteries was concerned, although it may have given the 
Spaniards a v/holesome respect for our marksmanship and our plenitude 

of ammunition. 



'^i/i^^^>^ 




THE BOMBARDMENT 249 

Commodore Schley, in company with several officers, visited the 
fortifications, making a two days' survey of them just after the surrender, 
and found that they were perfectly habitable despite the fierce bombard- 
ments of the American fleet. 

Landing at the foot of the Morro the party made the 210 feet of 
ascent with some difficulty. The path was strewn with ammunition, 
boxes containing thousands of Mauser rifles lying all about. At the foot 
of the hill to the rear of the Morro where the path of ascent began, was 
a well-built and equipped electric station from which to set off the mines 
in the harbor entrance. Concealed partially behind a bluff the operator 
in this house got a clear look at the angle on which the mines controlled 
by his key lay. Near him were telephones connecting with a similar 
house on the opposite shore. When a ship crossed his line of vision 
he pressed down a button that connected with the mine, but it did not 
explode. When, however, it crossed the vision of the man opposite he 
pressed the other connecting the circuit and a ship on the angle of these 
two sights received the bombs. Lieutenant-Commander Delehanty was 
removing the electrical mines and their location proved that it would 
have been impossible for the fleet to enter the harbor without losing 
some ships. Lieutenant-Commander Delehanty said that the electrical 
mines contained 200 pounds of gun-cotton or more than four times the 
ordinary amount. 

AMERICAN NAVAL OFFICERS INSPECT SHORE BATTERIES 

Arriving on the hilltop the party proceeded at once to the eastern 
battery, where a great surprise awaited them. There was the battery, 
close to the Morro, which the commander of the Suwanee had reported 
to Admiral Sampson as containing several very dangerous and large 
modern guns and against which Admiral Sampson had four times 
massed the flower of the fleet, the New York, Oregon, Iowa, Scorpion, 
Massachusetts, and Gloucester, and sometimes the Indiana. In rudely 

12 



250 THE BOMBARDMENT 

constructed earthworks but with excellent and deep run-ways for the 
gunners to bring ammunition, or seek for shelter, were four muzzle- 
loading bronze cannon and two cast-iron eight-inch mortars. They were 
brave men who stood upon the parapets to load these cannon and 
mortars, and under a heavy fire it is not wonderful that they did not 
answer with much celerity. The cannons were very handsome old 
pieces, cast in 1 737 and named after prominent Spaniards. The mortars 
were dated 1895 and were cast at Havana. They had no sighting 
arrangement and pointed only in one direction, so that unless a ship 
entered their zone they were not dangerous. There were two little three- 
pounders, field-pieces, but they were evidently brought to repel an 
expected land invasion. On the Morro itself were two bronze cannons 
of the same make and several old-fashioned small mortars. There were 
plenty of explosives but of the old-fashioned kind, the bombs having 
wooden plugs and time fuses. 

LITTLE DAMAGE DONE HERE BY BOMBARDMENT 

Although our fleet had bombarded this place four times, and the 
New Orleans once, there was little damage done except the dismount- 
ing of an old gun, the destruction of the lighthouse and a small frame 
house near. The shells landed between the house and the lighthouse 
and tore up a great hole, completely demolished the house, leaving but 
a pile of debris, and tore out the side of the lighthouse. The gun near 
by had evidently been wrecked by the concussion. Large quantities of 
broken American shells could be found about and quite a number of 
big shells that had not exploded were gathered up and grouped together 
by the Spaniards. The majority of the shells landed in the earthworks 
just below the crest of the hill, showing that the Americans fired well, 
but outside of ploughing up the earth, there was no result. When the 
projectiles hit any buildings they created great havoc, and traces of 



THE BOMBARDMENT 251 

many were visible on the Morro and some of the officers' quarters, 
where immense gaping holes were torn in the stone work. The draw- 
bridge was shot away and one tower was crumbling to pieces from the 
effects of a thirteen-inch shell from the Oregon. 

Coming down from Morro, which at the best is a tumbling, dirty 
ruin, with no touch of the modern upon it, the party stopped at the 
Estrella and Catalina batteries which had been visible just inside Morro 
point on the east. It was discovered that Catalina was a decaying ruin 
without a gun, and that Estrella, an old-time brick fort, had but two 
mortars, only one of which was fully in place. A large amount of 
ammunition, however, filled a house in this battery. A large shell had 
struck the rock just above the place and knocked down a big section 
that almost filled the magazine and otherwise wrecked the building. 

INSPECTION OF THE WESTERN BATTERY 

The second day was devoted to an inspection of the western bat- 
tery, which had mainly been attended to by the Brooklyn, Texas, and 
Vixen. While these ships did no more damage to the earthworks on 
the west than did the other ships on the east, it was quite apparent 
where the vigorous answers came from, one of which hit and killed a 
man on the Texas and wounded many and kept up a fusilade against 
the Brooklyn. The earthworks on this battery were very similar to 
those on the east, but there were two six-inch and four ten-inch Hon- 
toria rifles with breech-loading mechanism and steel shields. These 
guns were quick-fire and easily trained and very formidable. They were 
supposed to be part of the main battery of the Reina Mercedes. There 
were also two large mortars similar to those on the eastern battery. 
There were over 300 rounds of ammunition for modern guns. Just 
below this battery on the hillside was a twelve-pounder rapid-fire gun 
with plenty of ammunition for it. Punta Gorda, directly to the north of 



252 THE BOMBARDMENT 

this battery, had two large ship guns, which, in addition to firing into the 
harbor, could fire directly over the western battery at the ships. 

Going down the side of the hill toward the bay, a newly-made ceme- 
tery was found, enclosed in a barbed wire fence and with a dozen or 
more newly-made graves in it, surmounted by a large, black wooden 
cross. The graves were evidently those of sailors killed during bom- 
bardment. 







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1 



Admiral George Dewey 
(xlii) 



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CHAPTER XIV 
THE BLOCKADE 

THAT Admiral Sampson appreciated very directly the extreme 
difficulty of coaling at sea, which had confronted Commodore 
Schley, was evinced by the fact that, from the time of his arrival until 
June 10th — during which time his fleet had a plenitude of coal — he 
made strenuous endeavors to find a place in a sheltered bay where the 
ships could, without opposition, replenish their bunkers. On the 7th of 
June he sent the Marblehead to Guantanamo, forty miles to the east, 
to see if she could find a place in the harbor for the ships. She ran 
in the bay and was shot at by a Spanish gunboat which she chased 
up stream. 

AMMUNITION SENT TO THE INSURGENTS 

In the meantime 30,000 rounds of ammunition had been sent to 
the insurgents ashore, and this, it was supposed, would enable the 
Cubans to assist us in obtaining landing places. On the 10th the con- 
verted boat Panther arrived with 600 marines and joined the fleet off 
Santiago. That night there were two incidents that were almost turned 
into accidents. The Scorpion saw the Yankee, another of the converted 
Morgan liners, come through the line, and signaled her. She did not 
answer the signal, and the Scorpion fired upon her. A little later, while 
the Scorpion was scouting around the line, she was run into by the 
Panther and there was a great deal of excitement, but luckily neither 

incident proved an accident. 

255 



556 THE BLOCKADE 

THE MARINES ENGAGE IN A SKIRMISH 

On the afternoon of June 10th Admiral Sampson ordered the 
Panther to Guantanamo in company with the Texas and the Marble- 
head, with an order to land her marines and take possession of the 
place, so that the warships could coal there. The transport arrived 
there late that night and succeeded in putting the marines ashore. On 
the afternoon of the 1 1th, however, just as the marines had established 
a camp and while a majority of them, fatigued and heated from the 
day's work, were bathing in the surf, they were attacked by 3,000 
Spaniards. It was an exciting and terrible scene. The majority of the 
marines were in the water, and, hearing the splash of the bullets around 
them, supposed at first that their own men were engaged in target prac- 
tice. But almost in an instant they were undeceived, and rushing up to 
their tents and grasping their rifles, they found themselves in a nearly 
hand-to-hand conflict with the Dons, and the odds five to one against 
them. The Marblehead and the Texas saw the attack and promptly 
opened with their rapid-fire guns. The result was that the Spaniards 
were repulsed with heavy loss, killing sixty-eight of the men; while 
only one officer and three men of the Marine Corps were killed. They 
were Dr. John Blair Gibbs, of New York ; Sergeant Charles H. Smith, 
of Maryland, and Privates William Dunphy and James McColgan, of 
Massachusetts. Several others were wounded, but in the face of great 
difficulties, with the enemy doing bushwhacking fighting, the very 
superior force of the Spaniards was routed. A great deal of aid was 
given to the American marines by the marines on the Marblehead, 
commanded by Captain McCalla. These marines went ashore and 
assisted those from the Panther in making their fight. 

On Sunday, June 12th, a detachment of Spanish troops marched 
over across country to a bluff just opposite Camp McCalla and opened 
fire on the marines and on the vessels in the bay. The Texas moved 



THE BLOCKADE 257 

up into the harbor and fired a few explosive shells among them, which 
soon drove them away. The Texas returned to the fleet and notified 
Admiral Sampson of the menace which this Guantanamo fort presented, 
and she was ordered to immediately return, together with the Suwanee, 
and destroy the fort and, if possible, the Spanish gunboats in the harbor. 
Captain Jack Philip went down, and taking command of an expedition 
composed of the Texas, the Marblehead, and the Suwanee, cleaned the 
place out — the Suwanee practically going in to a hand-to-hand conflict 
with the troops ashore and driving the gunners away from their cannon. 
During the engagement, while forcing the entrance, the Texas and 
the Marblehead each picked up in their propellers mines loaded with 
gun-cotton, but fortunately neither exploded and, like Dewey's vessels 
in Manila bay, the ships escaped any damage by torpedoes. 

INTERESTING INCIDENTS OF THE BLOCKADE 

The other incidents which varied the monotony of our five weeks' 
blockade of the harbor of Santiago, besides this locating of the coaling 
place and the landing of the marines, were the landing of the troops at 
Daiquiri, with an accompanying demonstration at Juragua, and the 
sending of the coaling ships to a place a few miles west of the entrance 
of Santiago, as if they were seeking a landing place. 

Prior to these movements the Cuban pilot, sent by Commodore 
Schley to investigate the position of the Spanish ships in the harbor, 
had returned and had been sent to Admiral Sampson to report that the 
Spanish squadron, almost in its entirety, the torpedo boat Terror having 
been detached, was in the harbor of Santiago. He brought with him a 
map drawn by a Cuban spy in the city of Santiago, and giving the posi- 
tion of each Spanish vessel. 

The troops had arrived on the morning of June 20th, and we had 
seen the transports come along by the squadron at an early hour in 
charge of the battleship Indiana. 



258 THE BLOCKADE 

On June 1 9th, in anticipation of the arrival of these same troops, 
it was decided by Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley that there 
should be communication with General Garcia, who was supposed to be 
some thirty miles to the west of Santiago with his army, asking him if 
he did not desire to come to the east and form a junction of forces with 
the American troops when they landed. On the morning of the 19th 
the Vixen was dispatched to Asserredoros, a point seventeen miles v/est 
of Santiago, carrying Sampson's chief-of-staff and me. Commodore 
Schley had agreed that 1 should be his personal representative in the 
matter and Lieutenant-Commander Sharpe, of the Vixen, had volun- 
teered to take me. 

IN THE CUBAN CAMP 

We went up to camp early in the morning, the expedition returning 
in the afternoon because of the fact that General Garcia had not yet 
arrived, although we had a very pleasant visit with General Jesus Rabi. 
I preferred not to return with the expedition, but stayed over night in 
Rabi's camp, having been assured by the officers under him that I 
would be perfectly safe after they had taken in their personal care all of 
my valuables. 1 saw nothing particularly harrowing, except that my 
innate modesty was somewhat shocked at a comparative nudity that did 
not seem to worry the native. 1 was out on the picket-line and saw 
Spanish soldiers very closely, but they did not fire. The country was 
not picturesque, nor were the camps, except the palm-thatched retreats 
of the officers. Everything was dirty. Enterprising American soap 
manufacturers could have obtained splendid advertisements by cleaning 
the Cuban army — officers and men alike — and having pictures of 
"before and after" used as illustrations. 

There were no beautiful sunsets or brilliant sunrises while I was off 
Cuba. It is a peculiar feature of the Cuban landscape that night suc- 
ceeds day without any picturesque displays of color, and so suddenly 



THE BLOCKADE 261 

that there is nothing that can be called twilight. In the same way the 
sun comes up in the morning with a shoot, and by the time you get it 
through your head that the sun is up you also discover that it is red hot. 
Everything is absolutely monotonous, and you long for the changes in 
atmosphere and color and temperature that come with varied life in the 
North. The only bits of color I saw were on a couple of nasty chatter- 
ing paroquets who woke me early the morning I was at the insurgents' 

camp. 

GARCIA A SPLENDID SPECIMEN OF MANHOOD 

The officers I met with were a very good-looking lot of men and 
many of them well educated and able to speak English. Garcia himself 
was a splendid specimen of manhood. Fifty-eight years old, straight 
and dignified of carriage, and courteous, he was a splendid type of the 
commander in the field. General Rabi was black and did not speak 
English, but was a fine soldier and a true patriot. But the rank and 
file! In Garcia's army were some very good-looking soldiers, but in 
Rabi's army were some villainous-looking faces. Patriots! Oh, yes, 
but on either side of the fence. If the Spanish had treated them well 
they would have fought for Spain. As it didn't, they fought with the 
few patriotic Cubans because they managed to get enough to eat and 
could lounge and sleep in some sort of security. There was one thing, 
however, that was remarkable, and that was the wonderful control that 
the men in command had over the forces. Where the officer led the 
men followed, and followed to the death. 

THE JOURNEY TO THE CAMP OF GENERAL RABI 

When 1 started on the Vixen I carried a camera, a pair of field- 
glasses, and a revolver. From the boat, which could not be induced to 
run up far on the beach, I was carried ashore by a burly Cuban, to whom 
I afterward presented a cigarette and a cake of soap. A lieutenant- 



262 THE BLOCKADE 

colonel afterward relieved him of the soap, and he did not raise much 
objection, but refused to give up the cigarette. I got some of the men 
to group themselves, and then I took a picture. A couple of generals, 
two or three colonels, and 1 know not how many majors, greeted me and 
got me with much difficulty on the back of a mule, after which interesting 
operation we started for General Rabi's camp. The men ahead of me 
rode quite rapidly, but my mule persisted in walking, and the wicked 
way he put his ears back when I thumped his side made me not eager to 
go faster. The stirrups were made for a man with long legs, and 1 
couldn't sit down with comfort for some time after. A pair of spurs 
might have helped me, but I forbore asking when I noticed that two 
generals had one pair between them. 

DISCUSSED PLANS OF CAMPAIGN WITH GENERAL GARCIA 

When we got into camp General Rabi received me with much 
courtesy and gave me his general idea of the strength of the Santiago 
forts and the plans we hoped to follow in landing the army. The next 
day I went to General Garcia's camp and passed an interesting hour 
with him, discussing the plans of campaign. We sipped at delicious 
coffee, had plain but substantial meals, and altogether a pleasant time. 
I listened intently for the "ping" of Spanish bullets and the rush of a 
Spanish charge, but they did not come. Perhaps I was not as fortunate 
as the rest of my newspaper brethren, who enjoyed such thrilling experi- 
ences, but I took comfort in General Garcia's statement that such 
attacks were very rare unless the Cubans attacked first. 

POSITION OF SPANISH SHIPS IN THE HARBOR 

The morning following the night that I spent in camp, in accordance 
with an idea expressed by Commodore Schley that I should obtain if 
possible an accurate idea of the Spanish ships in the harbor, I asked 



THE BLOCKADE 263 

General Garcia to give me two guides so that I might go up to an 
advantageous point on the high hill and overlook the harbor. He was 
rather skeptical about my obtaining a view of the ships, but he gave me 
the guides and I started out. I didn't see any Spanish, and I didn't see 
any ships ; for, as I learned afterward, my Cuban guides, thoroughly 
comprehending that I did not understand the points of the compass, had 
walked me around in a circle, not taking me near the crest of the hill 
where there were supposed to be some Spanish blockhouses. General 
Garcia, however, relieved my vexation that afternoon by showing me a 
map of the harbor upon which was marked the position of the various 
ships drawn by a Cuban spy in Santiago city, and a copy of which had 
been given to our Cuban pilot to take back to Admiral Sampson. It 
appeared to me, therefore, that there was no necessity for my investigat- 
ing the matter any further, and I have not yet been able to understand 
why Admiral Sampson found it necessary to send Lieutenant Blue in 
for later information. 

General Garcia went down with us that afternoon to meet Admiral 
Sampson, taking with him the principal members of his staff, and a 
sicker lot of men 1 never saw aboard ship. There was a heavy roll on 
that day, and the little Vixen kept ploughing her nose into it and twirling 
and twisting in the most aggravating way. General Garcia and his 
officers were very greatly distressed, and by the time we arrived 
alongside the Nev/ York they were so ill that they had serious trouble 
in climbing up the sea ladders to the ship's deck. 

GARCIA DID NOT AGREE WITH PLAN OF SAMPSON 

General Garcia told me on the way down that he did not agree 
with the plan proposed to him by Admiral Sampson's chief-of-staff to 
bring all his troops from the west to the assistance of the American 
army on the east. He was of the opinion that some of the troops on 



264 THE BLOCKADE 

the northern coast of Cuba were crossing over to aid in the defense of 
Santiago, and he believed that his guerrilla style of warfare, which 
consisted in holding the passable roads which an army would naturally 
have to follow in approaching the besieged city, would undoubtedly 
prohibit their accomplishing their object. Garcia said that he had told 
this to Admiral Sampson's chief-of-staff, but the latter had pooh-poohed 
at it. I did not tell him that this was the usual style of the arrogant 
gentleman who occupied that office, and whose superior wisdom found 
insurmountable barriers for every plan suggested by any person othe: 
than himself to his immediate superior. 

THE STRENGTH OF THE CUBAN ARMY 

General Laura, chief-of-division for General Garcia, told me that he 
had some 4,500 men back in the country about forty-five miles by road 
from Santiago. There were also about 3,000 men, he said, in General 
Rabi's division, and all of these 7,500 men were well supplied with 
ammunition and clothing. I do not think he appreciated that I had been 
in Jesus Rabi's camp the night before and that 1 had particularly 
noticed their lack of clothes and also lack of ammunition. All of these 
Cuban officers seemed to have that spirit of exaggeration that forbade 
them giving accurate information to our officers. There were possibly 
all told in Rabi's camp, so far as I could observe, not over 2,000 people, 
and of these at least 300 were women and children. They were only 
half clothed, and I am positive they did not have sufficient ammunition, 
because they tried to deplete my cartridge belt, urging that I could obtain 
a new supply when I went back aboard ship. As to their provisions, I 
do not know much. My breakfast consisted that morning of some 
baked yams, dried bananas, and a cup of very excellent coffee. 1 did 
not see any meat in camp, and from the way those of Garcia's officers 
who were not ill attacked the steak on the Vixen at dinner that after- 
noon, I imagine that there was not a plenitude of that article. 



THE BLOCKADE 267 

When General Garcia arrived at the New York Admiral Sampson 
detailed his idea already promulgated by his chief- of- staff, that the Cuban 
army should be brought down to operate in conjunction with the 
American troops. General Garcia did not acquiesce, and that night 
went back to his position with the troops, after expressing the hope that 
he would be permitted to make an attack on the western side of 
Santiago at the same time the American troops were attacking the 
eastern and northern ends. 

HOW THINGS WERE GOING ASHORE 

In the meantime we had received our first indication of how things 
were going ashore by the interception of a letter from the general in 
command of the division about Guantanamo, giving the details of our 
success in that locality, and the serious straits to which their forces 
were reduced. The letter is here used to show how brave these 
Spaniards were, even under extremely discouraging and disheartening 
circumstances, and as also displaying the heroic impudence of the 
American forces, which was particularly noticed by the Spaniards: 

Excellent Sir: The seventh day, at dawn, brought seven ships 
before the port of Caimanera. They fired grapeshot and all kinds of 
projectiles on the Playa del Este and Cayo Toro until they set fire to 
the fort on the Playa Este and burning the houses of the pilots which 
the detachment occupied. This lasted, cannonading with more or less 
Intensity, until five o'clock in the afternoon. 

As the Playa del Este had only two muzzle-loading guns and sand 
intrenchments, the detachment could do nothing before six ships firing 
on them from all sides. They retired into Manigua and to the Guzco 
Hill, where they remain to-day making sallies on the beach. 

From that day 150 men occupy Punta Caracolas observing the 
movements of ships which occupy all the outer port with a trans- 
port of war and a variable number of armed ships and other vessels of 
war and armed merchant ships, total never less than four. 

I have also taken Enanto Passes and the vigilant Magne, which is 
disposed to fall on them where damage can be done. 



268 THE BLOCKADE 

I remain in Caimanera and will only come to the Enanto when I 
think it necessary, as to-day. I have not been able to antagonize the 
American ships with rifle f're, no known ground being at hand. Yester- 
day the captain of engi.ieers ordered to make safe protections that 
would impede and to make them low. The ground of Playa Este is 
better for this purpose. I refer solely to disembarkation. Dia P. San- 
doval and Cayo Toro fired with their artillery, being impeded with their 
short range, when the ships retired to the center of the channel and 
took positions in the middle of the bay, or they would not have stopped 
answering the fire which the enemy's ships were keeping up with 
impunity. Sandoval has not over seven discharges of piercing project- 
iles, and Caimanera battery did not fire, reserving fire until the ships 
entered the channel, which is where their guns reached. I am told 
that the insurgent forces at Baracao have come down to Siguabos, their 
increased happiness being noticed, and Palamar, and 1 do not know 
more. 

The American squadron, in possession of the outer bay, has taken 
it as if for a harbor of rest; they have anchored as if in one of their own 
ports since the 7th, the day they cut the cables, in the entrance and 
center of the harbor. I not being able to reach them, they have not 
again molested me. except with two cannon shots on the 8th. It 
appears from the work that is being done that they are preparing to plant 
the harbor with mines, or place their ships for disembarkation at Playa 
del Este, their favorite place. If it is the first, I call your attention to it 
in case that some time our squadron should come here. The forces of 
the brigade are in good spirits. I continue serving out half rations of 
everything, and in that v/ay I expect to reach only the end of the month, 
above all in bread, as I have no flour of any kind, as I said, and no way 
of getting any on account of there having been no corn for some time. 
Quinine for the hospitals the same. In hard straits I have taken private 
drug stores, and will have enough until the end of the month. Town 
in needful circumstances, first need since the 2d ultimo. On the 7th 
we had only two wounded at Cayo Toro. The cable house, riddled with 
shell, still stands, and if Americans abandon port, which I doubt, every- 
thing possible v/ill be done to re-establish communication, to which end 
I have everything ready. ? 

To-day there is in the harbar a large armored vessel and seven 
more vessels, with a large transport that appears to be a storeship. 
They patrol Playa del Este with armed launches, I have just been 
informed. 

I return to Caimanera on seeing the carrier of this start out, he 



THE BLOCKADE 269 

meriting confidence as a trusty of the brigade, having rendered me good 
services up to date. By sea I have ready a youth that served in the 
navy and who offered himself spontaneously. I actively recommend him 
to your excellency should he arrive. 

Felix Pareja. 



CHAPTER XV 
THE TROOPS ARRIVE 

EARLY on the morning of the 20th we saw the arrival of the long- 
looked-for and expected fleet of transports, convoyed by the 
Indiana, the Detroit, the Bancroft, the Helena, the Annapolis, the Wasp, 
the Eagle, the Hornet, the Osceola, and the Manning. When they were 
sighted the men of the fleet swarmed upon the decks of their ships, 
sending up cheer after cheer, because it was thoroughly believed that 
with the landing of these troops would come the end of the war, at 
least in that part of the island. 

SHAFTER AND SAMPSON HOLD A CONFERENCE 

Admiral Sampson and General Shafter had a conference to which 
Commodore Schley was not invited, and General Garcia was again sent 
for and told to make arrangements to bring his troops from Asserredoros 
to Daiquiri, where the army was about to land. 

A very clever scheme of landing deceived the Spaniards. They 
were naturally watching out for the arrival and the disembarking of 
American troops, and so it was ingeniously arranged that several dem- 
onstrations should be made in different localities along the coast. All 
day long the transports lay off the coast, rolling and tossing in the heavy 
sea and making life very miserable for the thousands of men crowded 
upon them, and who formed the army force for the attack on southern 
Cuba. 

13 273 



274 THE TROOPS ARRIVE 

A DEMONSTRATION ALONG THE COAST 

At daylight on the morning of the 21st General Castillo, who was 
to the east of Santiago with about 1 ,000 Cubans, began moving slowly 
up from Daiquiri toward Santiago to clear the way for an unopposed 
landing of the American troops. At the same time the New Orleans, 
the Detroit, the Castine, and the Wasp began shelling the woods in the 
vicinity so as to drive out any Spaniards. Commodore Schley had sent 
from the Flying Squadron at four o'clock in the morning, so that they 
would arrive at Daiquiri by daylight, all of the steam launches and sev- 
eral of the large cutters from each ship. Simultaneously with the 
shelling of the beach at Daiquiri, the Eagle and the Gloucester began 
firing at a point near Aguadores; the Scorpion, Vixen, and Texas at 
Cabanas ; and the Hornet, Helena, and Bancroft at Altares, points a few 
miles east and west of the harbor entrance of Santiago. 

At the same time three or four of the colliers which accompanied 
the fleet were dispatched to Cabanas, about two and one-half miles to 
the westward of Santiago, and began lowering their boats as if intend- 
ing to land a hostile force. Then at Daiquiri began the greatest hustle 
that probably ever occurred in the landing of troops, and it was a boat 
from Commodore Schley's ship, the Brooklyn, commanded by Naval- 
Cadet Haligan that reached the beach first and, landing her boat load of 
American soldiers, was presented with a silk Cuban flag as a reward. 

TROOPS SUCCESSFULLY LANDED 

The landing was successful in every respect, only two men being 
killed, and a few horses drowned by the upsetting of a boat. 

It was two o'clock that morning when, under cover of the dark- 
ness, the work of lowering the boats from the New York, Texas, 
Massachusetts, Iowa, Oregon, and Brooklyn began, the New York send- 
ing forty-eight men with her steam launch and cutters. 



THE TROOPS ARRIVE 275 

A short time previous to the first movements of preparation of the 
boats for landing, the Spaniards had been terrorized by the Vesuvius. 
She had crept up through the shadows along the eastern hills of Santiago 
harbor, and suddenly the darkness was shattered by a blinding flash, 
followed by a heavy, coughing sigh, and then in about the neighborhood 
of the eastern battery there was crashing and rending of earth, timber, 
and stone, and we knew that a mighty shell filled with gun-cotton had 
exploded, leaving trepidation, if not devastation, in its wake. Three 
times the Vesuvius shot forth her frightful warning, and then, while the 
western batteries fired a couple of shots in an endeavor to land a pro- 
jectile among her terrible mass of gigantic explosives, she hurried back 
to the protection of the fleet. 

WATCHING FOR ADMIRAL CERVERA 

Captain Goodrich had the general charge of the landing. The fleet 
still lay at the regular blockading station, watching for Admiral Cervera, 
should he make a dash out. When the dawn broke the long line of 
transports was seen stretched out over the eastern horizon and fading 
toward Daiquiri. 

The Indiana was slowly coming into blockading position at Daiquiri, 
and the New Orleans, Detroit, Castine, and Wasp could be seen faintly. 

Shortly after six o'clock the New Orleans opened fire. An explo- 
sion occurred ashore and soon columns of smoke were seen ascending 
from Daiquiri, standing out cloudily against the green background of the 
rugged mountains that rise from the water's edge. The shell had evi- 
dently set the buildings on fire, but the thick haze of smoke and mist 
made it hard to see exactly what was occurring there. 

DUEL BETWEEN THE TEXAS AND THE BATTERIES 

Before eight o'clock the Texas, keeping close inshore, proceeded 
to Cabanas, two and one-half miles west of El Morro, to make a feint 



276 THE TROOPS ARRIVE 

at landing troops there. The transports which were to have accompa- 
nied the Texas were still far out of position. Suddenly a puff of smoke 
shot out from the western battery, showing that the enemy was devoting 
attention to the Texas. The battleship replied promptly, firing at the 
western batteries with her twelve and six-inch guns and with her smaller 
guns at a blockhouse in a small inlet at Cabanas. For an hour the duel 
between the Texas and forts continued. 

The most spectacular event so far in the war it was. The marks- 
manship of the Texas was marvelous. Though over two miles away 
and in an awkward position, she dropped shell after shell right on the 
ridge of the hill where the enemy's guns lay. Clouds of yellow earth 
rose high into the air. 

THE WONDERFUL WORK OF THE TEXAS 

The crew on the flagship greeted each of these with loud cheers. 
Puffs of white smoke shot through the yellow canyon. These were 
shots from the enemy. The Spanish stuck to their guns well, but their 
aim was wild, the shots falling some a mile ahead and some a mile 
astern of the Texas. Finally the enemy's shots became few and far 
between. They probably had been driven from their guns. All the 
other battleships of the United States Navy lay in a semi-circle watching 
the wonderful work of the Texas and not wishing to distract the enemy's 
attention from the successful feint. 

On land still further to the westward General Rabi with 500 Cubans 
was making a military demonstration to assist in causing the Spaniards 
to concentrate their troops to the west of Santiago. Meanwhile a lively 
naval attack was in progress east of the harbor of Aguadores, a village 
two or three miles east of El Morro. The Eagle and Gloucester com- 
menced to fire at the blockhouses there shortly after eight o'clock. The 
bluff was peppered with the smoke clouds of their exploding shells. A 




t^M 



A Recent Portrait of Rear-Aumirai. Schley 
(xlvi) 



.^W> 



'^^v-y^V* 




I 



THE TROOPS ARRIVE 279 

few miles further to the east the Hornet, Helena, and Bancroft were in 
the picturesque harbor of Tusenada De Los Altares banging away at 
two blockhouses on the side of a hill which rose above the deserted 
village. The heavy swell caused these craft to roll considerably and 
the surf broke viciously against the rocks. The sun shone bright, a 
light breeze blew and the gunboats, half enveloped in white smoke, 
nestled in these fine harbors, forming a picturesque sight. They were 
feinting more than fighting. 

THE COAST DOTTED WITH THE SMOKE OF SHELLS 

From Cabanas to Daiquiri, fourteen miles of coast, the ridge was 
dotted with the smoke of American shells. The battery west of 
El Morro was the only point where the enemy appeared to make any 
serious attempt to reply. The sharp reports of the batteries of the 
smaller boats filled the air, the echoes dying away into the great hills 
behind. A faint odor of saltpeter drifted out to sea. 

The officers and crews of the ships not engaged watched the shore 
eagerly. At 10:30 the New York ran down from El Morro to Daiquiri, 
the real seat of operations. 

Just as she arrived the first boat load of troops was landing at the 
iron company's wharf. 

The transports had been slow in coming up. When Admiral 
Sampson arrived the Suwanee, Detroit, and Wasp were banging away 
at a bluff to the west of Daiquiri, where the Spanish troops were 
believed to be in ambuscade. 

SHELLS SET FIRE TO DAIQUIRI 

Around the wharf launches and boats were thickly clustered, some 
black with troops, others half empty and their former occupants climb- 
ing up like ants. The firing of the gunboats was soon discontinued. 



280 THE TROOPS ARRIVE 

Flames broke out where the shells had been directed and a long, low, 
white house was soon burned up. No shots were seen to come from 
any points on shore. 

The waters around Daiquiri were black with small craft of all sorts, 
plying quickly between the transports and the shore. Smoke curled up 
from various spots around the village, marking the fires caused by the 
shells. 

THE NIGHTLY TRIPS OF THE DYNAMITE CRUISER VESUVIUS 

In the meantime every indication that came from Santiago was to 
the effect that the Spaniards were getting very low in food supplies; that 
there was little, if any, coal to re-supply the warships, and that the 
Vesuvius, which had joined our fleet on the night of June 14th, was 
making it very unpleasant for them. She had been in every night for 
six nights and had dropped shells containing from fifty to one hundred 
pounds of gun-cotton, inside the harbor or up on the high hills. One of 
these shells had fallen very close to the torpedo boat Furor and had 
compelled her and the battleship Maria Teresa to change anchorage, 
for fear of total destruction, because, had one of these terrible charges 
dropped on the deck, it would have blown either ship apart. The hour 
for the Vesuvius going in was generally fixed at eleven o'clock, and it 
would appear that this was rather a mistake, for had she gone in at various 
hours of the nights in question, she would have kept the Spanish so dis- 
turbed that they would have found sleep impossible, either on the fleet or 
in the city. However, she certainly did her share in putting them in a 
state of nervous anxiety from which it would appear they never fully 
recovered during the war. The terrible power of a ship like the Vesu- 
vius constructed on more practical lines cannot be imagined. The great 
trouble with this first dynamite cruiser was that instead of having range- 
finding guns, she fired her torpedoes from tubes buckled to her keel 
plate, which practically made it impossible for her to tram the guns in 



THE TROOPS ARRIVE 281 

any direction except that in which the ship might be pointed. Some 
control of the distance at which the shell could be fired was obtained by 
the reducing of the charge in the air flasks, the torpedoes being fired 
pneumatically, but the slightest sv/ing of the boat in a heavy rolling sea 
naturally disarranged her aim to such an extent that it was almost 
impossible to reach a specific object. She would have been very much 
more effective had she had upon her deck dynamite guns of the Zalinski 
pattern which could have been trained in exactly the same manner as 
are the secondary battery guns on a warship. But one can imagine, 
perhaps, the terrible strain under which these people inside the harbor 
labored, when each night, about the same hour, with terrified expectancy 
they awaited the fall of these projectiles and the consequent earth- 
shaking explosions. Those nearest the fleet would hear a sound like 
the coughing of a huge animal. That was the shell going from the gun. 
Then those ashore would hear a slight whizzing sound as the projectile 
displaced the air, and following that, as it struck the earth, the frightful 
noise and jar of its explosion. Tons of earth and debris of all kinds 
would go flying through the air, the earth would fairly shake, and the 
concussion would be tremendous for hundreds of yards around. Then 
the people v/ould await a couple more explosions, for the ship usually 
fired three of these shells. But after a few days, when they had become 
accustomed to the hour and to the number of shells fired, the Spanish 
made it a point of not retiring until after the Vesuvius had accomplished 
her night's work. 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCHLEY AND SAMPSON AS TO BLOCKADE 

It is perhaps well, before closing this chapter, to detail the points 
of difference between the blockade established by Commodore Schley 
upon his arrival and the later and newer one established by Admiral 
Sampson, alter he had taken command of the fleet. Commodore Schley 



282 THE TROOPS ARRIVE 

had based his plan of blockade upon the supposition that the Spanish 
fleet had entered this harbor for the purpose of provisioning and coaling, 
and would make an attempt to leave at the earliest possible moment. 
He therefore kept all engines coupled, coaled his fleet to its fullest 
capacity in the face of the enemy and without depleting the line by 
sending the ships away for any purpose, and at night had kept up a 
moving blockade, in the form of an ellipse, which kept half the ships 
moving toward the east and the remaining vessels heading toward the 
west across the harbor mouth, so that no matter in what direction the 
Spanish ships attempted to run if they came out, some of the American 
ships would be already moving in the same general direction, and having 
an acquired headway would be very much more able to keep along with 
the fast Spanish vessels than would ships that were lying still with 
reduced steaming power. 

In addition to this Commodore Schley did not have a sufficient 
number of vessels to use for pickets, the Vixen being the only small 
boat, in addition to the gunboat Marblehead, that could be used for that 
purpose. 

SAMPSON CHANGED THE PLAN OF BLOCKADE 

On June 2d, a day after Admiral Sampson had arrived, he changed 
this plan of blockade and established an immobile one, which, no matter 
what the contentions may be as to the superiority of Commodore 
Schley's mobile squadron, at least demonstrated its entire effectiveness 
by absolutely preventing the Spaniards, as they themselves have 
admitted, from coming out at night. Of course, it must be said for 
Commodore Schley, that Admiral Sampson's method of blockade could 
only have been used with the larger number of vessels making up the 
squadron after the latter's arrival. The Sampson night blockade, which 
proved so thoroughly effective, consisted of placing the large vessels of 
the squadron in a semi-circle about four miles from the entrance, each 



THE TROOPS ARRIVE 285 

ship pointing tov/ard the mouth of the harbor, and using her engines 
only to keep her in position. This semi-circle, as originally established, 
consisted of the Brooklyn inshore toward the v/est and the New York 
inshore to the east, with the Texas, Massachusetts, Iowa, Oregon, and 
Indiana between them. Inside of this line, and about three miles from 
the harbor, was a picket line consisting of the Marblehead, the Vixen, 
the Suwanee, the Dolphin, and the Mayflower. Still further inside of 
them and within two miles of the entrance were six steam launches from 
the warships. These launches were armed with one-pounder rapid-fire 
guns and were supplied with colored lights, which were to be fired if 
torpedo boats or the fleet attempted to escape, or if there were any sus- 
picious movements inside the harbor. 

SEARCHLIGHTS OF WARSHIPS THROWN IN HARBOR ENTRANCE 

But more effective than all this was the policy adopted of having 
two of the big warships throw their searchlights directly in the entrance. 
This was naturally a risky piece of business, for while by illumination in 
one place it made the surrounding darkness extremely intense for those 
on shore and blinded their vision, it still gave a chance for the gunners 
on Morro or La Socapa to pick out the ships from which the lights were 
operated and possibly land a shell on them. Curiously enough, how- 
ever, the opportunity offered was never taken advantage of, much to 
Admiral Sampson's surprise and naturally to his gratification. He had 
ordered the searchlights thrown with some hesitancy as to the result, 
but there was no attempt made by those ashore to fire upon the ships at 
night, and for the four weeks that we were there this operation was con- 
tinued. So brightly was the harbor illumined at night by these search- 
lights that the green of the side hills could be seen and the wash of the 
surf over the coral reefs plainly noticed. On the ships throwing the 
lights the secondary batteries were kept manned so that the instant a 



286 THE TROOPS ARRIVE 

torpedo boat showed her nose she could be fired upon, this firing also 
giving a warning to the remainder of the fleet. One night while the fleet 
was keeping this blockade the Texas thought she discovered a light 
moving along shore to the west. It was known that the torpedo boat 
Terror was not with the fleet in the harbor, and it was supposed that 
possibly she had come over and was attempting to join her sister ships. 
The night letter, which consisted of a number of colored lanterns, was 
displayed at the masthead and was supposed to be immediately answered 
by the vessel toward which it was directed. No answer came, and the 
secondary battery crew of the Brooklyn, from which the episode was 
being watched, were ordered to their guns. One of the men on our 
after-bridge grew a trifle excited as he saw the light beginning to move 
along, and let fly a six-pounder without any orders. Instantly the Texas 
opened fire, and for a few moments there was fusilade. You would have 
thought from the actions of Commodore Schley and Captain Cook that 
it was a mere drill instead of a probable fight, for in the same breath 
they began to berate the man who had fired without orders. It was very 
soon discovered that the light was one moving along the beach, probably 
a railroad train, and that in firing at it we had seriously endangered the 
Suwanee and the Vixen. The next morning the Suwanee swung under 
our stern and Commodore Schley called through the megaphone to 
Commander Delehanty, "Dan, do you think that was a torpedo boat?" 
To which Delehanty caustically replied, "No, 1 don't; but if your gun- 
ners hadn't been such damned poor shots I would have been under 
water." 

PERILS OF LIFE ABOARD A WARSHIP 

Those who read of the blockade off Santiago probably considered 
that but for an attack by the enemy or a possible mine, their dear ones 
aboard the American fleet were quite as safe as though at home. Those 
who know little or nothing of life aboard a warship seldom realize what 



THE TROOPS ARRIVE 287 

a floating death-trap it is, only made safe by the constant, uninterrupted 
watchfulness of officers and men. The failure of one of the automatic 
electrical attachments to a coal bunker to tell of a fire would soon over- 
heat a magazine and send the bottom of the ship crashing out by the 
terrific explosion of ammunition; or, a single slip in the handling of the 
tremendous projectiles as they are hauled from the hold up to the guns 
on deck might result in a disaster equal to that of the Maine. 

I remember one day I was in my cabin, when the door was flung 
open, and my roommate. Paymaster's Clerk Orin E. Hancock, staggered 
in, trembling, white to the lips, and with great beads of perspiration stand- 
ing on his face. He sank on the edge of the berth and tried to speak, 
but could not. He shook as with an ague, and his trembling lips refused 
to utter intelligible sounds. 1 jumped from my seat, and grabbed the 
brandy flask, toward which he nodded. Pouring him out a draught, I 
held it to his lips, and as the color crept back to his face and the nervous 
trembling ceased, he gasped, "My God, boy! Here you sit, calmly read- 
ing, and yet at this moment we might have been at the bottom." 

WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM EXPLOSION ON BROOKLYN 

Hancock was a volunteer for actual battle service, his position not 
requiring him to take part in any of the fighting. He had been placed 
in charge of the forward eight-inch handling room, which is in the hold 
directly under the eight-inch forward turret, from this place the project- 
iles being sent up in an electric elevator to the breech of the gun. The 
shells used that morning were explosive ones, and the plunger which 
detonates them is at the back and fastened, in order to insure safety 
during handling, with a sensitive wire. In the room with Hancock were 
about five men, and the space in which they were at work was not over 
twelve feet in diameter. The turret is easily thirty feet above, and Han- 
cock, suddenly looking up, saw that a shell had slipped from the cage as 



288 THE TROOPS ARRIVE 

the men were removing it, and that it was coming down with frightful 
speed, point on. With that discipline which marks naval men the world 
over, Hancock shouted out the order, "Stand clear," and the men stood 
up against the sides of the handling room, their arms by their sides and 
heads erect, although they must have appreciated that if the shell 
exploded, as it is designed to do when it hits an object, there was no 
possible escape for them. The projectile came crashing down and 
struck square into the steel floor with such force that it never rebounded, 
and this it was that saved the ship. For an instant the men stood there, 
and then, with a sigh of relief, jumped over to where the shell was and 
carefully lifted it out of the hole it had made. An examination showed 
that the sensitive wire which holds the plunger and which is broken by 
the concussion in the gun when it is fired, was severed, but that the 
failure of the shell to rebound had not given the second impact necessary 
to drive the plunger against the detonator. This had saved their lives. 
As soon as they could get from the handling room to God's fresh air for 
a few minutes they did so. Had the shell detonated, not only would it 
have killed all the men but it would have exploded the magazine and 
driven the bottom out of the ship. 



CHAPTER XVI 

BEFORE THE BATTLE 

FOR five weeks the harbor of Santiago had been blockaded, and 
Commodore Schley and Admiral Sampson had each obtained 
definite knowledge that the Spanish fleet was in that bay ; but, so far as 
outward appearances went, there had been no indication to those in the 
fleet that the entire Spanish squadron was there. We had never seen 
a torpedo boat show her nose, nor had we secured a view of an entire 
war vessel, with the exception of the Cristobal Colon during the first 
two days we were there. But on July 2d, there occurred a series of 
incidents that demonstrated not only their presence there, but seemed 
to indicate that they were preparing to make a sortie of some character. 

RESULT OF THE BOMBARDMENT 

The American fleet had bombarded on the morning of the 2d, the 
Brooklyn, the New York, the Massachusetts, the Iowa, the Indiana, the 
Oregon, the Newark, the Gloucester, and the Vixen taking part. We 
went into action about 5:45 o'clock in the morning, and remained 
there until about 7:30. For some reason or other, the batteries ashore 
responded with unusual activity that day, and although none of their 
shells hit us— while the shooting of our fleet was exceedingly accurate 
and quite spectacular— remarks were made that the Spaniards were 
improving. We knocked down a lighthouse, tore up a western battery, 

291 



292 BEFORE THE BA TTLE 

dismounting one of their lieaviest guns, and finished the performance by 
the destruction of the corner of the tower of Morro, and knoclcing down 
the Spanish flag. No schoolboy was ever so tickled over some juvenile 
accomplishment, as was Commodore Schley that morning, over the low- 
ering of this Spanish red and yellow. Every day for five weeks we had 
seen that Spanish flag go up in the early morning as if in defiance of 
our presence, and all day long it would flaunt us, only to be hauled 
down at sunset, when the evening gun was fired. Commodore Schley 
watched the bombardment that morning from a position on the port side 
of the Brooklyn, about half way between the forward eight-inch turret 
and the port eight-inch turret. He was standing on the deck, instead 
of on his little platform near the conning tower, and his flag lieutenant, 
Mr. Sears, had several times asked him to step back, the latter being 
afraid the tremendous blast of the guns of our own ship would knock 
him overboard. It was drizzling rain, and the Commodore had on a rain 
coat, and once when a forward eight-inch gun fired 1 saw the blast from 
it drag the long tails around his legs, so that it very nearly threw him 
down. Finally, Lieutenant-Commander Mason and Lieutenant Sears 
together used respectful force and compelled Schley to get up on the 
platform, out of the way of the blasts. 

THE TERRIFIC BLAST OF AN EIGHT-INCH GUN 

The blasts from these eight-inch guns are so terrific that they will 
take things weighing two or three hundred pounds that happen to be on 
deck, under the muzzle, and waft them overboard as lightly as though 
they were pieces of paper. Only that morning 1 saw a large chest 
filled with paint, and which had been buckled to the deck, swished over- 
board by the fire of one of the eight-inch guns. 

It was at the time that the Oregon knocked the flag off the Morro, 
that Commodore Schley, slapping his hands with enthusiasm, and say- 



BEFORE THE BA TTLE 293 

ing, "By Georgel their flag is down," stepped out too close to an eight- 
inch gun muzzle and was forcibly hauled back by Mason and Sears just 
in time to save him. 

A SPANISH GUNBOAT APPEARS IN THE ENTRANCE 

During the morning following the bombardment, we noticed that a 
little Spanish gunboat was puffing around the harbor entrance in a very 
lively style ; but as she did not attempt to interfere with the wreck of 
the Merrimac, no order was issued to fire upon her. From what tran- 
spired afterward, it was pretty evident that she was hauling in the log 
and chain obstruction which the Spanish had put across the harbor to 
prohibit the entrance of our torpedo boat, and also, probably, removing 
some of the mines, so that the Spanish fleet could come out. We had 
two or three disabled five-inch guns on the Brooklyn, while we noticed 
that the Iowa had reported that her forward twelve-inch turret was out 
of commission, and we spent most of the morning in fixing ours, finally 
getting them in usable, although not very excellent shape, there being 
some defect in the construction of the mounts. 

COMMODORE SCHLEY CONVINCED OF AN AGGRESSIVE MOVEMENT 

Early in the afternoon a group of us sat on the quarter-deck of the 
Brooklyn, discussing the situation, and the bombardment of the morn- 
ing, and watching carefully through our glasses to see whether the 
Spaniards would make any attempt to restore their partially destroyed 
batteries. About two o'clock in the afternoon, we noticed that smoke 
was rising in the harbor, and tov/ard four o'clock it became so dense, 
and rose through the still air in such perfectly defined columns, that 
there was no possible doubt but that the Spanish squadron was firing 
up. This was the first mark of activity that they had shown since we 
had come there. At about five o'clock, this evident firing-up continu- 



294 BEFORE THE BA TTLE 

ing, Commodore Schley said to Captain Cook, "Cook, those fellows in 
there are either getting ready to come out, or else they are preparing 
to move around the harbor into more advantageous positions so as to 
enfilade the hills with rapid gun fire if the American troops attempt to 
come over to take the city." Shortly after five o'clock, so firmly con- 
vinced did the Commodore become that some aggressive movement 
was contemplated by the Spanish fleet, that he called alongside of us 
the converted yacht Vixen, and told Commander Sharpe, who was in 
command of her, to notify Admiral Sampson that there were extremely 
suspicious movements in the harbor. The little yacht hurried away on 
her quite lengthy journey, because it was a matter of about six miles 
for her to scurry across the fleet and find Admiral Sampson at the other 
end. Each ship in the squadron was one-half mile from its neighbor, 
so this semi-circle of war vessels was about fifteen miles around, the 
New York and the Brooklyn being at opposite ends, and between nine 
and ten miles apart. She returned later in the evening, after dark, and 
before taking her blockading station megaphoned, as she had mega- 
phoned every other ship in the squadron as she passed, that Admiral 
Sampson desired an extremely careful watch to be kept, and for the 
ships to stay in as close as possible during the night. 

A GREAT DEAL OF SIGNALING DURING THE NIGHT 

A close watch was kept that night, but beyond the fact that the 
smokes of the vessels that were firing up could be seen, and that there 
appeared to be a great deal of signaling going on by flashlights between 
the forts on Morro and the ships in the harbor, nothing of unusual 
character was observed in the entrance itself. Hardly had darkness 
fallen, however, and the heavy mist enshrouded the island of Cuba, than 
it was observed that signal fires of some character were burning on the 
hills to the west of Morro. First one was lighted on the high crest 



BEFORE THE BATTLE 297 

near the La Socapa battery, and there was an answering tlashlight, at 
least so it seemed to us, from the ships in the harbor and the signal 
station on top of Morro. Then a blaze gleamed up in the west, six 
or eight miles away, and still later others formed a connecting chain of 
fire between the first and last. 

INDICATIONS THAT SPANISH FLEET WERE COMING OUT 

Lieutenant-Commander Mason, who was sitting on the quarter- 
deck with us, and Captain Cook, both expressed the opinion that these 
fires were intended as signals to the fleet in the harbor, notifying them 
perhaps of the disposition of our hostile fleet on the outside. Commo- 
dore Schley did not agree with him. He thought that the Cubans from 
the west, under the command of General Jesus Rabi, were coming down 
toward Santiago, and that as they drove the Spaniards back, the latter 
were burning the blockhouses. But despite this divergence of opinion 
between the officers, one thing was thoroughly agreed upon, and that was 
that the fleet of the enemy, in either event, was making preparations 
to come out of the harbor, for, naturally, if the Cubans and American 
troops captured the city, they would make the place untenable for the 
Spanish fleet. 

SEARCHLIGHTS BRIGHTEN THE HARBOR ENTRANCE 

All night long the two glaring white eyes of the flashlights kept the 
harbor illumined, so that no possible attempt at escape could be made 
by the Spanish inside, but there was no movement of any sort, 
although from the description given by Spanish officers it is claimed that 
they had first contemplated coming out that night, and that it was not 
until midnight that Admiral Cervera finally notified the captains of the 
various vessels that he would wait until daylight to make the attack. 

So without incident Sunday morning, July the 3d, came. It was as 



14 



298 BEFORE THE BATTLE 

monotonous in its birth as Inad been the preceding days and Sundays 
during that long blockade. Just six Sundays before Commodore Schley 
had discovered the Spanish fleet in the harbor, while just four Sundays 
prior to that Admiral Dewey had captured or destroyed the Spanish 
fleet in Manila bay. It seemed to be America's province to make 
Sunday a fatal day for the Spanish. 

Perhaps it was because of our long stay here that we found little 
to admire in the Cuban landscape, or the picture at sea. Earlier in 
the campaign we found in sunsets and sunrises, in the cool of the night, 
and the warmth of the noon-day, some few evidences of the picturesque 
as described in our primers and geographies : but as a plain matter of 
fact, it is a picturesqueness that exists, in but a small degree off the 
coast of southern Cuba. And so the morning came, with the star-lit night, 
like other star-lit nights, extinguished by a sudden rush of gray, a 
moving away quickly of the curtain of darkness, and the appearance 
of the hot sun clear above the horizon without a single parti-colored 
herald like that which marks our beautiful sunrise in the North. 
The sun does not rise, in Cuba. It jumps above the horizon, as if there 
were a mystical hand upon an electric lever that brings it up, while at 
the same time it extinguishes the myriads of stars. This day it paled 
the brilliant gems on the masts of the warships, and compelled the signal 
men using them to resort to the colored flags as a medium for com- 
munication. 

WATCHING THE HARBOR ENTRANCE 

We were all on deck early, and our first glances were naturally 
directed toward the Cuban coast, because we could not see as yet the 
harbor entrance, for in the early morning, especially at that time of the 
year, just preceding the rainy season, Cuba looked like a huge fog bank — 
a surging, rolling wave of tinted mist, in which the huge, shapeless mass 
of the island had sunk and seemed drowned, while out beyond it on tlie 



BEFORE THE BA TTLE 299 

one side was the clear blue of a southern sky, and the shining ribbon of 
barely moving water. 

OLD MORRO GUARDING THE STRIP OF BLUE WATER 

Slowly the bank of white clouds wavered and changed in tone as 
the sun crept higher, and then we standing on the Brooklyn's deck, 
striving with glasses to pierce its dense masses, began to see a feathery, 
snowy mass of foam curling along the line of shining beach, and a few 
moments later the edge of the mist took a tinge of green as the foliage of 
the lower hills began to show. Suddenly a light breeze blew in off the 
ocean, and the mist curtain wavered, and then parted, disclosing the 
outlines of the battery on the left and the grim walls of old Morro on 
the right, sturdily guarding the strip of blue water which ran between. 
Still lingering about the higher buttresses of Morro, in clouds of white, 
tinged with rose and gold, at last the mist disappeared, and from a glorious 
blue sky the sun beat hotly down, making us seek the shade of the 
tiny awning stretched over the quarter-deck. 

THE LINE OF BATTLE SOMEWHAT BROKEN 

It was just such a morning, this day preceding the Union's national 
birthday, as was the morning five weeks before, when, sitting on the 
after-bridge of the Brooklyn, Commodore Schley saw the fleet of 
Cervera in the harbor, and made to me the caustic remark: "They will 
never get home." The sun crept up to where it compelled you for 
safety, if not for comfort, to avoid Its rays; and on all the ships prepara- 
tions were made to add one more day to the monotonous count that 
figured up five long weeks. 

The line of battle was somewhat broken this morning. The New 
Orleans, protected cruiser; the Newark, unprotected cruiser and flag- 
ship of Commodore Watson ; and the Suwanee, a converted lighthouse 



300 BEFORE THE BA TTLE 

tender, had all gone to Guantanamo, forty miles to the west, the after- 
noon before, to coal, and it was therefore very much to our surprise that 
we noticed the battleship Massachusetts had also left, in the face of the 
fact that for the first time since we had been there there had been sus- 
picious movements in the harbor. In response to a query from Commo- 
dore Schley, the officer of the deck said that the Massachusetts had left 
the line at daybreak, signaling that she was going down to Guantanamo 
to coal. At 8:45 our surprise and wonderment were increased by see- 
ing the New York fly the signal, "Disregard the movements of the 
Commander-in-Chief," and quickly move away to the east. We had 
heard the day before that it was Admiral Sampson's intention to hold a 
conference with General Shafter, but we could hardly conceive that in 
the face of the movements in the harbor he was taking away the fast 
New York to accomplish that errand when he had so many smaller 
boats to which he could transfer his flag. It must be remembered that 
the Brassey Naval Annual, upon which we depended for our information 
as to ships, credited the Spanish vessels in the harbor with greater 
speed than any of our ships except the New York and Brooklyn, so we 
watched the New York closely with our glasses as she moved to the 
east until at 9:20 she was entirely out of sight and out of signal distance. 

SCHLEY NOW IN COMMAND OF FLEET 

In the absence of Commodore Watson, who was at Guantanamo 
with the Newark, coaling, and the retirement beyond signal distance of 
Admiral Sampson, the command of the American fleet now devolved 
upon Commodore Schley. The departure of the New York and the 
depletion of the line of battle by that ship's absence, coupled also with 
the absence of the Massachusetts, the New Orleans, and the Newark, 
and the torpedo boat Ericsson, furnished us, together with the fact that 
the suspicious movements In the harbor were still continuing, with a 













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BEFORE THE BA TTLE 303 

plethora of early morning gossip. But this did not deter Captain Cooic 
from holding general muster, and ordering Lieutenant-Commander 
Mason to summon officers and crew to the quarter-deck. 

HOW HE LOOKED BEFORE THE GREAT BATTLE 

Dressed in a pair of white duck trousers, a shabby blue coat, and 
an officer's white summer hat, with no insignia of rank upon him, 
Commodore Schley braced his white-shod feet against the hatch comb- 
ing, tilted his chair back, plucked rather nervously at his imperial, and 
remarked, "This is pretty slow." 

Over the water from the Texas came a sweet bugle call to church, 
and the bell tolled softly. Three bells clanged out on the Brooklyn, and 
Captain Cook and Executive-Officer Mason, both wearing their swords, 
came on the quarter-deck. "We're going to have general muster," 
said Captain Cook, in response to the inquiring look of the Commodore, 
and the men began gathering in their various divisions. General mus- 
ter is compulsory every month in the Navy, and the solemn act of 
reading the Articles of War is gone through with in a perfunctory sort 
of way. A look through the glasses showed on all the ships similar 
tableaux, and the typical quietude of Sunday prevailed. On the forward- 
bridge Navigator Hodgson had relieved the officer of the deck, and 
Quartermaster Anderson was keeping the long glass trained on the sus- 
picious smoke just back of the high hill at the entrance. 

THE BIG WARSHIPS ALL MASSED TO THE EAST 

At this time the big warships had all massed to the east, quite a 
common occurrence for early morning. The western part of the 
blockading half circle consisted of the second-class battleship Texas, 
the flagship Brooklyn, and the small converted yacht Vixen. The 
Texas was exactly south of the entrance, which points southwest, while 



804 BEFORE THE BA TTLE 

the Brooklyn and the Vixen, 5,500 yards to the west, rolled lazily in 
the swell of the trade wind sea. With the Texas as the central ship, 
the east was beautifully and effectively guarded by the Iowa, Indiana and 
Oregon battleships, and the converted yacht Gloucester, the Gloucester 
nearest shore. The Iowa lay at least half a mile beyond the curve of 
the circle, and, glasses in hand, I remember calling Commodore Schley's 
attention to it. He answered: "1 understand her forward twelve-inch 
turret is broken, and they are probably trying to fix it." I remember 
also noticing that the Gloucester was very close in to shore, and that, 
while the eastern end of the line was so formidable that no tactician 
with common sense would have attempted to pass it, there were open- 
ings to the west on both sides of the Brooklyn that must have offered 
tempting invitation to a foe desirous of, and eagerly looking for, a chance 
to escape. It must also be remembered that the plan was of immobility, 
the ships pointing their noses toward the entrance but not moving, and 
therefore allowing a fleeing enemy a chance to gain a great advantage 
in a flying start. 

NONE OF THE SHIPS HAD UP FULL STEAM 

Thus, four American battleships, the Iowa, Oregon, Texas and 
Indiana, with the armored cruiser Brooklyn, formed the guard, with 
the two converted yachts, Gloucester and Vixen, as pickets. Of the 
ships of battle the Indiana could not exceed a speed of nine knots, and 
her forward thirteen-inch turret was out of order, the guns incapacitated; 
the Iowa had steam up but for five knots, and was also having trouble 
with her forward twelve-inch turret, and the Brooklyn had had some of 
her five-inch guns badly strained by the bombardment of the day before. 
None of the ships had steam for more than ten knots and the Brooklyn's 
forward engines were uncoupled. 



CHAPTER XVII 
^'THE ENEMT IS ESCAPING'' 

AFTER-BRIDGE, there! Report to the Commodore and the 
Captain that the enemy's ships are coming out." 
It was the stentorian voice of Navigator Hodgson calling through 
the megaphone from the forward-bridge to the signal officer of the after- 
bridge. There was no need for the after-bridge to repeat it. For an 
instant it had turned everybody into living statues, but only for an 
instant. Then Lieutenant-Commander Mason's strident tones called, 
as he himself rushed toward the forward-deck, "Clear ship for action!" 
and the clanging bells notified those below of the summons to battle, 
while the orderly mass of men, ranged around the sides of the quarter- 
deck for inspection, became a tumbling, scrambling heap of enthusiasts, 

ready for the fray. 

SMOKE IN THE ENTRANCE 

Hodgson had been on the bridge for about ten minutes, and he and 
Quartermaster Anderson were taking the bearings of the Morro so as 
to move the ship to its proper day position. Anderson had the long 
glass, and after looking carefully said to Lieutenant Hodgson, "The 
smoke looks as if it was moving toward the entrance, sir." "Give me 
the glass," said the Navigator, and, fixing it on the hazy smoke in the 
entrance, he took a long look. Anderson caught the glass as it fell, or 
it would have been smashed, while Hodgson, picking up the megaphone, 
yelled, "After-bridge, there! Report to the Commodore and the Captain 
that the enemy's ships are coming out." 

305 



30G THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 

Commodore Schley was on his feet in an instant, and reaching 
over baclc of me to where his binoculars lay on the steel hatchway 
cover, as he grabbed them up he exclaimed, "Come on, my boy. We'll 
give it to them now." 

CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION 

Captain Cook was standing just at the head of the stairway leading 
to the cabin, and as he heard Mason's ringing tones, "Clear ship," 
he dove down into his room, threw off his uniform coat and hat, tore off 
his collar, tumbled into an old black alpaca coat and a round linen 
sailor's hat, and in a jiffy was back on the deck again, issuing orders. 

The Commodore sprang forward through the superstructure, elbow- 
ing his way among the men, who in their excitement and delight were 
paying little attention to rank or station. He was making for the little 
bridge around the conning tower. 

I followed him closely, and as he passed the after-bridge heard him 
call to Ensign McCauley, "Signal, The enemy is escaping.' " Lieuten- 
ant Sears, who was near, shouted back, "We have already done so, 
sir!" and Schley, as he hurried through the gallery toward the fore- 
castle, answered; "Signal the fleet to clear ship." 

THE IOWA OPENS THE BATTLE 

As he climbed the ladder to the forecastle, I remember his pulling 
out my watch, which I had loaned him, and saying to me, "It's just 9:35 
o'clock." Just as we reached the point of vantage, a wooden platform 
two feet high elevated around the conning tower, there came the sharp 
detonation of a six-pounder and we saw from the smoke that the Iowa 
had fired the first shot and was flying the signal, "The enemy is escap- 
ing," having run it up several seconds before the Brooklyn served the 
same notice. Following quickly the warning of the Iowa, the doughty 
Texas opened with a big twelve-inch shot; and, as Captain Cook 






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o 






•>♦ 



THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 300 

shouted to the quartermaster, "Full speed ahead," the Brooklyn's 
forward eight-inch guns boomed out. 

THE NEW YORK OUT OF SIGHT 

"Can you see the flagship?" shouted Schley to Navigator Hodgson 
and Quartermaster Anderson, who were on the bridge, and Anderson, 
who was using the long glass, swept the eastern horizon with it, and 
called back, "No, sir. The New York is out of sight." 

Just then Lieutenant Simpson popped his head up out of the 
forward eight-inch turret, from which he had fired his first gun a moment 
before, and called to the Commodore, "Did that one hit, sir?" 

SCHLEY GIVES ORDERS TO FIRE DELIBERATELY 

"I couldn't see, Simpson," answered the Commodore, "but keep 
at them. Tell your bullies to give them hell!" theh, turning to Captain 
Cook, who was now at his elbow, he added, "Cook, tell your men to fire 
deliberately, and don't waste a shot." 

Here we were in action. From the time of Lieutenant Hodgson's 
announcement to the time of the boom of the Brooklyn's guns was 
barely three minutes, and what to a layman seemed the direst pande- 
monium and disorder was the finest of discipline and the acme of order. 
That men flew by dropping their shirts from their backs as they ran, 
that orders came thick and fast, and that men and officers seemed 
tumbling over one another was no criterion. That every gun was ready 
to shoot; that fire had been started under four fresh boilers; that every 
battle hatch had been lowered; that every water-tight compartment was 
closed; that ammunition was ready for the reloading of the guns; that 
the fire pumps were on and the decks wet down, and that every man 
of 500 was in the place assigned to him for battle, completes an indis- 
putably wonderful accomplishment. 



310 THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 

Turning so as to fire iier port battery, the Brooklyn moved nortiieast 
toward the harbor entrance, while the big battleships, somewhat slower 
in their movements, pointed straight in. Glasses in hand, Commodore 
Schley tried to make out the enemy's ships. It was a trying and nerve- 
destroying moment. The terrific effect of the eight-inch gun fire on 
one's eardrums, the distressing taste of the saltpetre, the blinding effect 
of the dense smoke, and the whiz of projectiles of the enemy in close 
proximity, all were forgotten, and we stared through our bedimmed 
glasses at the entrance full of smoke from the enemy's funnels and our 
exploding shells, a yellow mass at v/hich the first terrible fire of the 
American ships v/as directed with such frightful effect. Out of the 
midst of it there suddenly projected a black, glistening hull, the position 
of which showed it to be pointing westward. Would the others follow, or 
would they break through at different points? Still the frightful fire of 
the ships continued, and flashes of brilliancy from the mass of smoke in 
the entrance showed that the enemy had opened. The western battery 
on the crown of the hill was also dropping shot to the westward. 

THE SPANISH FLEET ALL OUT OF THE HARBOR 

At Commodore Schley's elbow stood Flag-Lieutenant Sears, also 
with glasses glued to his eyes. For a minute the pall of smoke rose, 
and then Lieutenant Sears exclaimed: "They are all out, and coming to 
the westward. Commodore!" 

"Yes," answered this cool commandant, "and the torpedo boats are 
with them." Then turning to Captain Cook, he said: "Have your 
rapid fire guns ready for those fellows. Cook," and the Captain, smiling, 
pointed to the guns where the men were already firing. It v/as just 
9:45, and Ensign McCauley hoisted the signal to the fleet to "Close 
up," following it quickly with another one ordered by the Commodore, 
and reading, "Follow the flag." 



THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 311 

The Maria Teresa, the Viscaya, the Colon, and the Oquendo were 
now in plain view, in the order named, with the torpedo boats Furor 
and Pluton following. 

SPANISH SHIPS REGALLY DRESSED 

As we keenly studied the ships through our glasses we saw what 
probably has not been witnessed since the days of the Armada, ships 
coming out for deadly battle, but dressed as for a regal parade or a festal 
day. From their shining black hulls, with huge golden figureheads 
bearing the crest and coat-of-arms of Spain, to the tops of their masts 
where fluttered proudly the immense silken flags, bearing in the heaviest 
of gold bullion the Spanish insignia which glittered bravely in the morn- 
ing sunlight, to the brightly colored awnings over their decks, they 
bespoke luxury and chivalry, and a proud defiance of America's newer 
sea power. If death and defeat were to come, they would be met gal- 
lantly, grandly, the nation whose naval prowess has been sung in song 
and story never seeking concealment by doffing a single lota of her 
pomp or pageant. 

THE BROOKLYN IN A DESPERATE SITUATION 

Suddenly we were startled by a realization that the situation for the 
Brooklyn now seemed desperate. The great ship was pointing and 
moving directly toward the Spanish ships coming out to the west. 
Every inclination, had a decision been made suddenly, was to turn In 
the same direction, to the west, to head them off. But had this inclina- 
tion been followed, the Brooklyn's starboard side would have been so 
placed that any one of the Spanish fleet would have been able to ram 
and sink her, or torpedo her, with the same fatal result. 

"Much will depend upon this ship this day, Cook," said Commo- 
dore Schley, as he noticed that all four of the Spanish vessels were 



312 THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 

making good speed and that none of our own ships were very close to 
us. "Don't rislc a torpedo attack. Keep well in but keep out of their 
effective range." The Commodore was as cool as an iceberg as he 
made these suggestions to Cook, and the hand that raised the glass to 
his eyes never trembled, as he watched intently to see how we could 
best move to keep in the action and yet not permit the enemy to carry 
out what was evidently their intention, the destruction of the Brooklyn. 

THE VISCAYA POINTING TO RAM BROOKLYN 

Captain Cook was watching the enemy with equal anxiety, for we 
were now getting into a position where if we turned in toward the shore 
we were liable to run in between the Spanish line of battle and the surf. 
Suddenly Lieutenant Sears, who had his glasses fixed on the Viscaya, 
said, "The Viscaya is pointing out to ram us, sir." 

Sharply Schley swung around from his examination of the leading 
ship, the Maria Teresa, and looked at the Viscaya. She was certainly 
pulling out from the line of vessels toward us, while the Colon was 
pointing in toward the shore. Sharp and clear came the order, "Put 
your helm hard aport. Cook." 

THE BROOKLYN NOW MOVES TO STARBOARD 

"It is hard aport, sir," said Captain Cook, who had evidently antici- 
pated the order or else was following out the first order given to him, to 
keep the ship away from torpedo attack. The Brooklyn now began to 
move around to starboard, turning a circle away from the enemy. 

"Hadn't we better back on our starboard engine?" said Navigator 
Hodgson, and Commodore Schley answered sharply, "No, we'll lose 
headway. We must get around quickly." Turning on her heel, in a 
short circle moved the Brooklyn, her port side a perfect mass of flame 
and smoke, as the six eight-inch, six five-inch, and eight six-pounders 







.-^'i >^ « 



y 






THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 315 

belched forth the deadly shot. Then, as she swung toward the four 
Spanish ships, her starboard battery opened, and the din was terrific. 

"Tell the men at the guns to fire deliberately and make every shot 
tell," called Schley to Captain Cook, and out of the choking smoke and 
fire Lieutenant-Commander Mason could be heard quietly instructing 
the men in the turrets as to the distance. The Brooklyn had described 
a perfect circle, and although under a deluge of shot and shell, practi- 
cally uninjured, pointed west and began her famous fight. The Colon 
could be seen sneaking up behind the Spanish line, as if intent upon 
getting away, while the Oquendo and Maria Teresa, evidently striving 
vainly to shield the torpedo boats, were receiving a most horrible 
baptism of shot and shell. 

THE OREGON COMING TO HELP THE BROOKLYN 

As we got fully around we were pointing to the west, almost side 
by side with the Maria Teresa, the Colon inside of her, the Viscayajust 
behind the Spanish flagship, and the Oquendo last of all, starting to 
burn and evidently in trouble. Looking back we saw, instead of what 
we expected— our own ships in fighting array— simply a heavy pall of 
smoke, and not an American ship in view. Schley turned around and 
grimly said to Captain Cook, "Well, Cook, we'll have to stay alone with 
this crowd." But just then, out from the curtain of smoke there came 
a mighty foam-crested wave, and after it a flash of immense brilliancy, 
followed by the roar which spoke for a thirteen-inch gun. It was the 
Oregon, and as our men and officers saw it, they yelled with delight. 
Over her low freeboard broke the surging waters that she pushed aside 
in her mighty race, and they dashed up against her great steel turret, 
under the mouths of the big thirteen-inch guns that were hurling death 
and defiance at the enemy. She was coming to help the Brooklyn m 
her terribly unequal struggle with these four great Spanish cruisers, and 
every shot that she was firing seemed to be taking effect. 



31G THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 

And, then, as the smoke blew away a little more, we saw, following 
up the Oregon, the Texas, the poor old "hoodoo" of the Navy, but v/hich 
this day was to disprove her mallgners and, next to the Brooklyn and 
the Oregon, do more than any of the other ships to destroy the Spanish 
fleet. 

"Clark and Philip are with us," said Schley with a smile, "and we'll 
lick the Dons yet," and, as if to prove his words the broadside from the 
Brooklyn crashed into the Maria Teresa, while at the same instant the 
Oregon, firing at her from behind, put a large shell along her superstruc- 
ture, fairly raking her. 

THE VISCAYA NOW ENGAGED THE BROOKLYN 

The sides of both the Brooklyn and the Oregon were now lurid 
masses of flame, so fast were the guns worked, and despite the fact that 
the Oquendo and the Maria Teresa both showed the effect of the terrible 
fire to which they had been subjected as they passed the Indiana and 
the Iowa, they were answering well. The Oquendo and the Teresa were 
evidently attempting to shield the Colon, which was running in, close to 
the shore, and making great speed in her efforts to escape, while the 
Viscaya had picked the Brooklyn out for her prey, and was putting up 
the greatest fight of the day. 

Dimly through the pall of smoke behind us we could see the two 
torpedo boats engaged in mortal combat with the doughty Gloucester. 

TWO SPANISH SHIPS ON FIRE RUN FOR THE SHORE 

The first gun had been fired at 9:40 o'clock, md at 10:22 o'clock 
the Oquendo, riddled with shells from every vessel of our fleet, caught 
fire. For some minutes we could notice the men on her deck making 
efforts to extinguish the fires, but from the military tops and the super- 
structures of every warship flying the American flag there was being 



THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 317 

poured onto her the deadly fire of small projectiles from the secondary 
batteries, while the Texas and the Iowa were dropping big shells into her. 
Just about the time the Oquendo caught fire and started for shore, 
the Oregon and the Brooklyn each put a big shell in the Maria Teresa, 
Cervera's flagship, and she too began to burn, and at 10:31 o'clock she 
turned in to the beach, her flag still flying, and we continuing to fire 
at her. 

SCHLEY INFORMS MEN BELOW OF PROGRESS OF BATTLE 

Lieutenant Sears, however, studying her through his glasses, said, 
"Commodore, she has evidently surrendered, but she can't get at her 
flag to haul it down because of the fire," and immediately the Commo- 
dore said to Captain Cook, "Stop firing on that ship. Even if she hasn't 
surrendered the other ships behind will take care of her." And then, as 
the Commodore heard Captain Cook give the order to cease firing on the 
Maria Teresa, he said, with that thoughtfulness which always has marked 
him, "Tell the boys below, Captain, that we have got two of them. Keep 
them informed of every advantage. They can't see, and it will cheer 
them up." 

At 10:36, just after the two ships had gone ashore, and when we 
began to fight the Vlscaya in the closest action of the day, the positions 
of the ships of our own squadron were particularly favorable to the enemy 
carrying out his plan of escaping with at least one or two ships. Back 
through the mass of smoke we could dimly see the battleship Indiana. She 
had had some trouble with her engines and although the fight had been 
on for an hour, she had not moved more than a mile west of the Morro. 
The Iowa had followed as closely as she could, but she too did not seem 
to have very much speed, and when she arrived at the place where the 
Maria Teresa had turned ashore, she swung In, too, as If to assist In the 
rescue of the Spaniards who might have survived. 

Both Qf these American ships had sent a perfect rain of projectiles 



318 THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 

into the harbor entrance as the ships came out, but their lack of speed 
had prevented them from continuing in the fight. The Texas had 
moved along at a fairly good speed, fighting like a demon under com- 
mand of Captain Jack Philip, and she was in the fight up to the time 
that the first two ships ran ashore. 

THE OREGON PROVED HERSELF A WONDER 

The Oregon had proved herself a wonder. She had started away 
from the eastern end of the line, and Captain Clark, the gallant hero 
who had brought the ship around the continent in daily expectation of 
meeting the Spanish fleet, having seen the signal "Follow the flag," 
displayed from the Brooklyn, and realizing that the turn of the enemy 
to the westward would mean the destruction of the Brooklyn if she 
were not assisted, made as straight after her as he could. He left the 
Indiana standing still as if she were anchored. He went under the 
stern of the Iowa, and raced by her. He crossed the bow of the 
Texas, for an instant blanketing her fire, but his own guns keeping up a 
tattoo on the Spanish ships, and he was amply justified in the risks he 
took with the ships of the American squadron, for he arrived just in 
time to help the Brooklyn out of a bad predicament. And of course we 
on board that ship were glad to see him, for, as a gunner's mate said to 
me after we had cheered her, " Not that we can't lick them, but it's 
good to have help," and I agreed with him very cordially. 

CAPTAIN OF OREGON DESCRIBES THE GREAT RACE 

Captain Clark in his own description of this great race has said: 

"When we discovered the Spanish ships coming out, our fleet 

closed in at once to attack them, each ship being ordered to keep ahead 

directly toward the harbor entrance. The Spaniards turned to the 

westward, breaking through our line or crossing it, and our ships 














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THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 321 

swung off to the westward in pursuit. Both sides opened fire promptly 
and fired rapidly, and a dense smoke soon obscured the vessels, making 
it difficult to distinguish them. The Oregon, however, ran between the 
Iowa and Texas (the next ships to the westward in our line), and soon 
after we sighted these four Spanish ships ahead, apparently uninjured 
at the time. Just then the smoke lifted or broke away to the left, and I 
discovered the Brooklyn. She was well forward of our port beam; 
broadside to the enemy's fleet, and was fighting all four ships alone. It 
made a deep impression upon me to find her there. I felt that we 
should mutually support and sustain each other, and that a battleship 
was needed, and that we would fight the fight together. The Brooklyn's 
course was perhaps a little divergent from ours, because the Oregon 
was attempting to draw up upon the Maria Teresa; but the Brooklyn 
and Oregon maintained this relative position, bow and quarter, approxi- 
mately, to the end of the battle. The Brooklyn was steaming straight 
ahead, as nearly as I could judge, and engaging all the Spanish ships. 
The Oregon was endeavoring to come to close action with the sternmost 
one, and when she was driven out of action and pointed to the beach, 
the Oregon pushed on for the next ahead, and so on until the entire fleet 
was driven ashore, burning or sinking." 

Speaking of passing the other ships. Captain Clark said: 

HOW THE OREGON PASSED THE OTHER SHIPS 

"The Iowa, when I first saw her, was steaming in toward the 
entrance of the harbor. Her position was a little to the westward of 
that of the Oregon, and at first she seemed to be advancing faster than 
we were in the Oregon. It seemed that she was gaining ground more 
toward the entrance than we were, and I thought she would get in there 
considerably ahead of the Oregon. Then the smoke became very dense 
and I lost sight of her, but I could see the Spanish ships as they came 

15 



322 THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING 

out and turned to the westward. I knew that they were turning sharply 
that way and that I would not get to the entrance in time to strike any 
of them, and that, therefore, 1 must immediately haul to the westward. 
1 put my helm hard astarboard and sheered off, and then I saw the 
Iowa again. She had evidently changed her course to the westward 
very sharply at almost the same time, and I was fearful she would 
collide with us — that she would swing too far. 1 therefore put my helm 
hard astarboard, or gave the order, 'Hard astarboard,' to clear her, but 
we went by her and I saw no more of her during the action. 

CLARK AVOIDS COLLISION WITH IOWA AND TEXAS 

"I saw the Texas just after passing the Iowa, and 1 was concerned 
about striking her. I was just clearing the Iowa when the Texas was 
reported on the port bow, and I had no time except to give one glance 
at her, and then to give the order, 'Hard aport.' Then 1 had to jump 
over on the other side to see if I was going to clear the Iowa. I was 
afraid my speed would not be quite sufficient to carry me by, and yet I 
had to get past, and 1 really cannot tell whether I saw the bow or stern 
of the Texas. 1 just saw this great, large object loom up out of the 
sm.oke, and I knew I had to give the order instantly lo clear her. I 
knew or thought I would swing enough to clear her, but it might carry 
me into the Iowa, which I had just had on my starboard beam only about 
a ship's length off. I do not even know whether the Texas was pointed 
in or out." 



CHAPTER XVIII 
THE VISCATA 

THE fight of the day was on at 10:36 a. m. We were side by side 
with the Viscaya. The range was not over 1,800 yards, the 
closest fighting of the day so far, and the nearest ship to us of our own 
squadron was the Oregon, about a mile and a half astern. The Colon 
was between the Viscaya and the shore, but clear enough of her so 
that she could use her guns on us. It was a critical moment for the 
Brooklyn. The Viscaya had larger guns and thicker armor than the 
Brooklyn, and she was known to be commanded by Eulate, one of the 
most accomplished and bravest men in Spain's Navy. This was the 
ship that had been brought to New York by the Spanish government for 
exhibition purposes, and the public press had declared that she was far 
superior to our cruisers, the New York and the Brooklyn. 

There was no hesitancy, however, in the way we were fightiog her. 
Lieutenant-Commander Mason was rushing from turret to turret and 
from gun sponson to gun sponson, giving the ranges, and the gunners 
were pouring into the Spanish ships, every few seconds, tons of explo- 
sive ammunition. 

THE GREAT FIGHT OF THE DAY 

It was a fight that was to set the naval world thinking and discredit 
the predictions of the prophets. The Viscaya, with armor double the 
thickness of the Brooklyn and guns of larger calibre, had often been 

323 



324 THE Vise AY A 

placed by critics as tiie superior of the Brooklyn; and there was a low 
murmur of approval on the latter ship as the word was passed to con- 
centrate fire on the former. Commodore Schley said to Captain Cook, 
"Get in close, Cook, and we'll fix her." A little turn of the helm sent 
the Brooklyn in to within a thousand yards of the enemy, and there they 
were broadside to broadside. "Nine hundred and fifty yards," called 
the messengers in to the turret decks, and the answer was the terrible 
boom of the big eight-inch guns, followed by the tenor of the five-inch 
and the shrill treble of the six and the one-pounders. The smoke was 
so dense that it was hard to see the target, but up forward we could see 
the Colon spitting out smokeless fire from her side. When five minutes 
had passed and we had not felt the ship tremble with the concussion of 
Spanish shells, we looked at one another in amazement. The water 
about us and between the Brooklyn and the Vixen, which had kept near 
us, absolutely boiled, while the song of the shells over us and a few 
muffled explosions on deck told that the Spanish aim was not so bad. 
Suddenly a marine in the foretop at a one-pounder gun shrieked down, 
"Every shot is telling," and as the word passed aft to the gun crews, the 
shooting became more vigorous, and 2,000 pounds of explosive metal 
went banging against the Viscaya every three minutes. The secondary 
battery fire, of one and six-pounders, was unusually deadly, the Spanish 
gunners in the Viscaya's superstructure being driven from the guns. 
At 10:50, after twenty minutes of this clos^ engagement, the Oregon 
got near enough to land several six-inch projectiles in the Viscaya and 
to drop a few thirteen-inch shells about the Colon, which was rapidly 
drawing away to the westward. 

A TERRIBLE BAPTISM OF FIRE 

Twenty-four minutes of this close action passed, and Commodore 
Schley, watching the Viscaya, which was just a little forward of our 



THE Vise AY A ;>o7 

beam, had twice remarked that she was getting the worst of it, and 
once, as a shell struck her superstructure and apparently cleaned out a 
couple of gun crews, he said in an undertone, "My God, but she is 
getting a terrible baptism of fire," and then almost in the same breath 
his enthusiasm about the intended result bubbling over, he called to 
Captain Cook, "Tell your bullies they're doing great work." Putting 
his glasses up to his eyes a minute later, Commodore Schley said to 
Lieutenant Sears, "Sears, it looks as if she were coming out toward us." 
It certainly did look so, for the Viscaya was sheering out to the south as 
if intending to again try and ram us. Just at that moment, an eight-inch 
shell from Lieutenant Doyle's starboard turret struck her a slanting 
blow on the bow, and there was a terrific explosion. Every one of us 
who were watching her knew it was more of an explosion than an 
eight-inch shell would make and we held our glasses on her to discover 
her injury. It became apparent, as the smoke cleared, that the shell 
had undoubtedly exploded a torpedo placed in her tube to fire at us, and 
that it had blown out a large section of her bow. While we were 
watching her the Oregon fired a shell, I think an eight-inch one, which 
struck almost on her quarter-deck rail, and which seemingly raked her 
fore and aft. We could see men's bodies hurled into the air, and see 
others dropping over the sides. One end of her bridge tumbled down 
as though the underpinning was driven out, and then at 1 1:06 o'clock 
she turned and ran for shore, hauling down her flag, her deck one mass 
of flames, and the ammunition, which had been brought up to supply 
her deck guns, exploding in every direction. 

ONLY DAMAGE RECEIVED WAS FROM VISCAYA 

It was during the fight with the Viscaya that we received most of 
our damage from Spanish gunners, two or three shells crashing through 
our superstructure, and one large one entering our gun deck. The con- 



328 THE Vise AY A 

cussion of this as it exploded below attracted Schley's attention, and he 
said to Captain Cook, "Captain, send below and see how many men 
are wounded." A messenger was dispatched and he came back with 
the information that only two men were slightly wounded, and that none 
were killed. Both the Commodore and the Captain stood for a moment, 
silent and amazed, and then the Captain, believing thoroughly that there 
had been a mistake made, said to the messenger sharply, "Go down to 
the hospital and tell Dr. Fitz Simons to report to me the number of dead 
and wounded." 

The messenger went, and came hurrying back with the same Infor- 
mation, and a radiant smile overspread Schley's face as he received this 
confirmation of a statement he had hardly dared to believe. 

THE PERSONALITY OF GEORGE ELLIS 

But while the messenger was gone there had occurred the one 
death that marked the naval battle off Santiago as one of the most 
remarkable fights in regard to fatalities on the conqueror's side, ever 
witnessed. George Ellis, a young man of about twenty-five years of 
age, was the captain's clerk on the Brooklyn. He was a clean-cut 
young fellow, and he had impressed me very much because he had what 
so few of us have, the courage to acknowledge in the presence of a 
conglomerate lot of men, such as you find on the warships, his belief in 
God, and his love for his religion and his church. Only the day before 
the battle we had received the mail, and in it was a great bunch of reli- 
gious tracts, shipped to him by the Sunday school in Brooklyn which he 
and his wife attended. He had promptly distributed these around among 
the crew. He had frequently spoken to me with regret of the fact that 
there was no chaplain aboard the Brooklyn and that we could not have 
Sunday services; and on that very Sunday morning he had taken me 
into the captain's office, where he made his headquarters, to show me 



THE Vise AY A 329 

a picture, which had come by the mail of the day before, of his wife and 
baby. Ellis had served his time as a naval apprentice, and had received 
an honorable discharge. He re-enlisted after a while spent on shore, 
and had advanced to chief yeoman on account of his superior qualifica- 
tions as a writer. His station in battle was to assist the navigator in 
getting ranges, and he had become very proficient in the use of the 
stadimeter, the little instrument used in taking the distance to objects at 
which the ship is to fire. 

ELLIS ORDERED TO TAKE THE RANGE 

Ellis stood with several of us at Schley's feet just in front of the 
conning tower, the Commodore being on the little platform and we stand- 
ing on the deck proper. He was taking the range, in the absence at 
some other part of the ship of Navigator Hodgson, and, in order to find 
the distance to the Viscaya, he was compelled to go out in front of the 
forward eight-inch turret in the open where it was dangerous because 
the Spanish ship was using her secondary battery. It was just a few 
minutes before the Viscaya turned in to shore that Schley suddenly said. 
"I think the range to the Viscaya is changing, Ellis. Try her again." 
Ellis stepped out, raised his stadimeter, took the range, and coolly turn- 
ing around called back, "1,200 yards, sir." "1,200 yards," repeated 
Mr. Mason to the messengers, and "1,200 yards" seemed to say the 
booming powder which sent out the tons of steel that crashed into the 
side of the Viscaya, 

A SHELL CARRIES ELLIS' HEAD OFF 

Plainly distinguishable from the hum and buzz of the Spanish shells 
which were flying over us, there came a dull, sickening thud, and the 
warm blood and brains spattering in our faces and on our clothes gave 
warning of a fatality even before the smoke cleared. V/hen we could 



330 THE Vise AY A 

see, there lay Ellis' body curled in an inanimate heap on the deck, the 
head having gone overboard, carried away by the impact of a large shell. 
Luckily for us, the shell had not exploded, or else very many more of us 
might have been injured or killed. 

"DON'T THROW THAT BODY OVERBOARD" 

Dr. DeValin, v/ho stood near him, stepped forward and gave one 
look at the body, only to see that life was extinct, and then he and 
Ensign Edward McCauley, who was close at hand, picked it up to throw 
it overboard, it being the rule in battle to dispose of mutilated bodies, 
the presence of which might disturb the equanimity of the men. Com- 
modore Schley saw them, and in the midst of all this hot action, with all 
this tremendous responsibility upon his shoulders, with the shells burst- 
ing over his head and the small projectiles rattling against the turret, from 
the heat of battle this commander found time to turn and say, "Don't 
throw that body overboard. Take it below, and we'll give it Christian 
burial." 

SCHLEY AND OTHER OFFICERS SPATTERED WITH BLOOD 

Boatswain Hill was called, a blanket was obtained, the body was 
wrapped in it, and taken to the lee of the forward turret, where it 
remained until the battle was over. Schley took his handkerchief from 
his pocket and wiped the blood from his face and coat, where it had 
spattered, while the rest of us near by did the same. Lieutenant Ryan, 
who had charge of the deck engines, was so badly cut by some flying 
pieces of the skull and jawbone that for safety's sake he had to go to 
the hospital and have the wounds cauterized. Almost the same instant 
that Ellis was killed a shell from the Viscaya, fully five times as big as 
that which had killed the boy, entered between decks on the Brooklyn, 
striking in a compartment where eight men were working at a gun. It 
did not hurt any of the men standing near the gun where it came in, 



THE Vise AY A 



.383 



but after cutting away a four-inch tliick steel stanchion, demolishing an 
iron staircase, and smashing things generally, it exploded. The results, 
one might anticipate, should have been very serious ; but of the twelve 
men in the compartment, but one, a coal passer named J. Burns, was 
hurt— a piece of the exploding shell going between his legs and slightly 
wounding him. 

THE GLOUCESTER RENDERS VALUABLE ASSISTANCE 

In the meantime, while we were fighting the Viscaya and the Colon, 
the little Gloucester, assisted in some measure by the secondary 
batteries of the Iowa and Indiana, had succeeded in absolutely destroy- 
ing the two torpedo boats. It must be remembered in speaking of these 
that either of them, properly handled, was more than a match for the 
Gloucester. They were very fast and very much better armed, having 
twelve-pounder guns upon them, while Lieutenant-Commander Richard 
Wainright, who handled the Gloucester, had only six-pounders as his 
largest armament. 

To Wainright belongs the great credit of having kept his head to 
such an extent as to remember during that first part of the conflict with 
the Spanish cruisers, that the torpedo boats were in the harbor and that 
if he left the entrance they might get away to the eastward and cause 
havoc among our transports. 

THE PLUTON GOES ASHORE AND IS WRECKED 

Firing a few shots at the cruisers, the Gloucester lay waiting 
for the torpedo boats to come out, and while she was waiting, 
obtained a range on the harbor entrance. The moment the first 
destroyer showed its nose the Gloucester opened a fusilade upon it, and 
undoubtedly made the better armed boat think that she had a Tartar 
with which to deal. At the same time Wainright closed in upon her. 



334 THE Vise AY A 

and by; the time the two destroyers had turned to the west to follow 
their fleet, the six-pounders, three-pounders and Colt automatics on the 
Gloucester were pumping shot into them with terrific effect. For a 
short time the torpedo boats answered the fire very briskly, but the 
Indiana and the Iowa from their upper tops were firing at them 
and there was hardly a chance for them to gain shelter in the lee of 
their own ships. Shortly the Pluton, which had been the first to 
venture out, began to slow down, and it was perfectly apparent that she 
had been disabled. From the way she moved it was noticeable that her 
steering gear was somewhat out of order, and it was not improbable 
that a shot had entered her engine as well. At any rate, she turned for 
shore and running in on a coral reef struck it and broke in two, her 
boilers exploding, and completely wrecking her. 

THE FUROR EXPLODES HER BOILERS AND SINKS 

By this time the Iowa and the Indiana had gotten around the point 
just to the west of Santiago, and the commander of the Furor, evidently 
seeing that the Gloucester was alone, turned as if to attack her. The 
terrible fire from the Gloucester, however, never slackened, and one of 
the larger shells piercing the Furor's boilers, they exploded and she 
began to sink at the stern, her bow twisting up in the air. Steam and 
smoke were rising from her, and the Gloucester, which a minute before 
had been fighting her to the death, now began the work of rescuing her 
crew. Lieutenant Thomas Wood took a boat from the Gloucester and 
went alongside of the Furor at a tremendous risk, because she was in 
great danger of sinking at any moment and swamping everything that 
came near her. He managed to get off some ten or twelve of her crew, 
or pick them up out of the water. Lieutenant Wood's own description 
of the scene aboard of her, just before she sank, will best describe her 
condition. He said: 



THE Vise AY A .-^.So 

" On reaching the Furor, a scene of horror and wreck confronted 
us. The ship was riddled by three and six- pound shells, though 1 
observed no damage by larger projectiles. She was on fire below from 
stem to stern, and on her spar deck were the dead and horribly mangled 
bodies of some twenty of the officers and crew. One of her boats was 
at the davits, smashed to atoms. I afterward found another a short dis- 
tance away, bottom up and stove, but sustaining two survivors, whom 1 
rescued. In the meantime another of the Gloucester's boats arrived, 
and boarded the wreck, in charge of Lieutenant Norman, and between 
us we saved some ten or twelve of the crew who remained on board. 
Finding it impossible to save the ship, and fearing damage to our own 
crew from explosion, I directed our two crews, with the survivors of the 
Furor, to abandon the ship and return to the Gloucester. This was 
done, and I was so fortunate as to find and take with me the Furor's 
ensign." 

The Pluton's crew, in the meantime, were jumping overboard and 
struggling through the surf to get ashore and avoid a capture, but a large 
percentage of those who tried to escape in this way were drowned, or 
crushed by dashing against the coral reef. Lieutenant Proctor, of the 
Gloucester, went over in a boat toward the Pluton and tried to rescue 
some of her crew. He picked up one boat load, most of them swim- 
ming about the wreck, but could not do very much because of the heavy 
surf that was rolling. He said himself: 

LARGE NUMBER OF SPANIARDS DROWNED 

"I made for the Pluton, gathered in a boat load of people, and 
returned. I then went back to the Pluton, and attempted to board her; 
but the surf was too heavy, breaking over her deck. 1 picked up 
another boat load, and then landed in a cove near the wreck. In the 
meanwhile the other boats were taken aboard, and the Gloucester 



336 THE Vise AY A 

steamed out of sight. I tried, and finally succeeded with difficulty in 
boarding one-half of the Pluton, but the surf was so heavy and she was 
bouncing about at such a rate that I could not do much. The m.ortality 
was not great from our fire, but large numbers were drowned or mutilated 
on the coral reefs." 

THE PRESS BOAT WANDA RESCUES MANY SPANIARDS 

The press boat Wanda had in the meantime come along. She was 
a yacht used by the Associated Press and was in the command of 
Mr. John P. Dunning. He managed to rescue some of the men from 
the water, and threw overboard a wicker chair from the deck, which 
was floated ashore by the surf so that the Spaniards could put a badly 
wounded officer in it and carry him into the Spanish lines. It turned 
out afterward that this officer was Admiral Villaamel, commander of the 
torpedo fleet. He was desperately wounded, and after his men had 
fastened him into the chair he died and the body was left concealed 
among the rocks. Long after the war was over, it was found and buried 
in Santiago, and has lately been taken to his native land. 



CHAPTER XIX 
CHJSING THE COLON 

WHEN the Viscaya went ashore it might be thought that the 
duty of the Broolclyn was to stay by her and help save some 
of her officers and crew, but Commodore Schley decided that the 
proper thing for him to do was to capture the Colon, which now had a 
lead of about six miles over us, and thus effect the entire destruction of 
Cervera's fleet, leaving the humanitarian work of rescue to the slower 

ships. 

A CHASE AND A CAPTURE 

What seemed to be now a forlorn hope faced Commodore Schley, 
but faith in the Brooklyn and in the splendid battleship Oregon, now close 
on the chase, never faltered, and he remarked to me, "We maybe able 
to wing that fellow, and then Clark and Philip will get a show at him, 
even if he sinks us." Captain Philip's Texas could be seen about five 
miles astern. The "fellow" alluded to was the Cristobal Colon, which, 
so far as indications went, had to this point escaped unharmed and now 
had a lead of about four miles over the Brooklyn and the Oregon. The 
Colon's accredited speed was nineteen and a half knots, and while the 
Brooklyn's is greater than that, it was impossible to make more than 
seventeen knots, because the forward pair of engines were not coupled 
up and were lying useless. The Oregon had a speed at the most of 
fifteen and one-half knots; so it appeared as if the chances of escape 
were good, and everybody believed that for one ship to get away would 

339 



340 CHASING THE COLON 

spoil the day's victory. There was one chance, however, and Schley, 
quick to see it, determined to take advantage of it. The Colon was 
running close in to shore, and to continue her course had to make a 
long detour to the south around Cape Cruz, sixty miles west. The 
Brooklyn was two miles farther out to sea than the Colon, and after 
consultation with Captain Cook and Navigator Hodgson, it was con- 
cluded to run a straight course to Cape Cruz and try and head off the 
chase. The Oregon in the meantime stayed in close, so as to get a 
range on the Colon's broadside if she tried to run directly south. This 
line of tactics having been decided upon, the chase, which lasted from 
11:25 to 1:15, began. 

Up to the masthead of the Brooklyn went the signal "Cease firing," 
and Commodore Schley said to Lieutenant-Commander Mason, "Get 
all your men out for an airing." In an instant the top of every gun 
casement and every turret was a mass of half-naked, perspiring, but 
jubilant, cheering men. Even the men from the powder magazines 
below the protective deck came up, and joined the crowd. The Colon, 
in sheer desperation, was firing a few shells, but they fell so short that 
there were only jeers for them. 

"REMEMBER THE MAINE" 

In the meantime so cheered was the Commodore with the results 
of the day and the idea that we would still get the Colon, that he began 
to get jovial and a trifle facetious. To Ensign McCauley he said, 
"Wig-wag to the Oregon that the ship ahead of us looks like an Italian," 
referring to the fact that the Colon was built in Italy, and that she had 
been sold by the Italian government to the Spanish. Instantly came 
back the answer from Captain Clark, "Yes, but she will land on the 
coast of Cuba." Then the Oregon raised a pennant, " Remember the 
Maine," and the men, with a roar of approval, saw the answering pen- 



CHASING THE COLON 34I 

nant go up, "We have." Suddenly a big fellow on the top of Lieutenant 
Simpson's turret, after asking permission of Lieutenant-Commander 
Mason, shouted out, "Three cheers for Commodore Schley," and in an 
instant there were three roars that drowned even the thunder of the 
Colon's guns and made me wonder if the vigor of the jubilant Ameri- 
cans' voices would not drive terror to the hearts of the crew of the 
Colon. Then somebody proposed three cheers for gallant Captain Cook 
and for the Oregon, and they were given with a will, and returned with 
interest. 

HEROES BELOW DECKS 

But if these scenes, lacking in tragedy, were going on above decks, 
there were men far below the steel protective deck still fighting for the 
flag; men who are seldom spoken of, but who are always heroes. At 
the fires in the coal rooms, and at the great engines, in a temperature 
of from 130 to 150 degrees, were men fully as patriotic and enthusias- 
tic as those on deck, and the successful ending of the day now depended 
upon them. Into the furnaces the coal was piled, while in almost a 
white heat naked men kept the fires clear. At the big engines stood the 
engineers, closely watching for any flaw. Higher and higher climbed 
the steam, and faster and faster turned the great screws. Once in a 
while the great steel prison would open while a man was lifted out, over- 
come by the heat, but the moment the air revived him he would go back 
to his furnace task. One man who gave way was carried up on deck, 
and his four fellow workers stood about with anxious eyes to see if he 
would recover. He opened his eyes, looked around at them and said, 
"Why the devil don't you fellows get back to work? What are yer 
standin' there for?" And as they slunk away he said to the doctor, 
"Say, Doc, are we catching the dago?" 

Perhaps it is a new thing in the Navy, and perhaps it is not, but 
one thing struck me forcibly: from the beginning of the fight Commo- 



342 CHASING THE COLON 

dore Schley issued instructions tliat all news of any advantage gained 
by us should be communicated about the ship to those who could not 
see, and it seemed to raise the esprit de corps at least a hundred per 
cent. 

The chase continued for about an hour and a half without much 
gain on either side, the Colon at 12:15 having a lead of about four and 
one-quarter miles. Forced draught for the furnaces was being used on 
the Brooklyn, however, and she began to gain slowly. At the same time 
it was apparent that the tactics adopted by Commodore Schley had 
worked well, and it was evident that the Colon, in rounding Cape Cruz, 
would be near enough for the Brooklyn, and probably the Oregon, to 
broadside with their large guns. 

THE COLON GETTING AWAY 

The problem now was whether the Colon would increase her speed 
and beat us to the point ahead, and Commodore Schley discussed with 
Captain Cook the advisability of stopping and coupling up the engines 
which were lying useless. The original order issued by Admiral Samp- 
son required us to keep steam for moving eight or nine knots with the 
engines uncoupled. We used the after-engines. In the Brooklyn we 
could use only just so much steam with those after-engines. Without 
coupling up all the engines we could not use all the steam that we could 
raise there. In the early part of the action we had steam enough to 
make twelve knots, and we kept on increasing the steam until we had 
all that we could use with the two engines. We continued to get steam 
with the idea that if the Colon should get beyond the point we would 
lose the time and couple up all the engines. It would take about twenty- 
live m.inutes to couple up the forward-engines. We had all the steam 
we could use in the after-engines. 

After considering the matter for a little while, the Commodore said 




m^^. 



CHASING THE COLON 345 

to Captain Cook, " No, Cook, we won't stop. I think we will catcii her. 
If she gets around the cape first, we'll stop and couple then, and, by 
God, I'll chase her to the coast of Spain, but I'll get her." Then he 
stepped into the conning tower for the first time that day, and going to 
the speaking tube called down himself to the men, "Bullies, we've only 
one more to get and it all depends upon you now," and up from that 
steel prison where the thermometer registered over 140 degrees, there 
came the dull roar of a cheer. Then this remarkable man came out of 
the tower, and sitting upon the edge of the forward eight-inch turret, 
chewed on a bit of bacon and drank a cup of coffee while he continued 
to chase the enemy. 

THE COLON RUNS ASHORE 

At 12:20 Commodore Schley directed the Oregon to try a large 
shell, and at 8,500 yards a thirteen-inch shell rushed like a great rail- 
road train by the Brooklyn and struck just short of the chase. A signal 
was sent to tell the Oregon the effect, and then she tried another. This 
time it hit just astern, and threw tons of water on the deck of the Colon. 
The effect must have been terrifying; and when at 12:40 the Brooklyn 
opened up with her eight-inch and landed a few shots against the 
Colon's side, it became evident that the game was cornered. How- 
ever, everybody expected that the ship of the enemy would put up a 
last fight and only surrender when overpowered, and we were all very 
much surprised when, at 1:15 o'clock, down came the ensign of Spain 
and the ship ran ashore. 

It may have been a revengeful providence, it may have been a 
mere accident, but it certainly was a peculiarly strange coincidence 
that the last of the fleet of Cervera and the flower of the Spanish Navy 
should have gone ashore at the very spot where the ill-fated Virginius 
expedition tried to land. 

As the Brooklyn and the Oregon moved in upon the prey, the men 

16 



346 CHASING THE COLON 

poured out of the fire rooms, black with smoke and dirt and glistening 
with perspiration, but wild with joy, and when some wag raised a broom 
to the masthead, there was a roar of applause from the Oregon and an 
answer from the Brooklyn. Climbing up to the bridge. Commodore 
Schley gazed down at the jubilant men with just the suspicion of a tear 
in his eye. "Those are the fellows who made this day," he said point- 
ing to them, and then ordered Ensign McCauley to make signal, 
"The enemy has surrendered." 

THE FLAGSHIP NEW YORK NOT IN SIGHT 

I was standing on the quarter-deck when the Colon surrendered, 
and I handed my binoculars up to Lieutenant Rush, who was dancing 
a war dance of joy on top of his eight-inch turret, and asked him to take 
a look and see if he could see the New York, Admiral Sampson's flag- 
ship. He scanned very carefully the entire expanse of water to the 
east, and said she was not in sight. His line of vision, naturally, from 
that elevation and with the glasses was about twelve miles. In order 
to make sure, however, Lieutenant Rush handed the glasses to a 
quartermaster who was standing by him. This man took a long look, 
and then reported that he could see three columns of smoke just over 
the horizon. As the New York was the only ship in line besides the 
Brooklyn that had three funnels, It was of course supposed that it was 
she coming up, and later the suspicion was confirmed. 

TEXAS REPEATED SIGNAL TO FLAGSHIP 

In the meantime the Texas, which was about five miles astern of 
us, had made out our signal, "The enemy has surrendered," and seeing 
that the New York was too far astern of her to see us, repeated the 
signal, but the New York passed her without any recognition of it. 

Commodore Schley had ordered Captain Cook to take a boat crew 



CHASING THE COLON 847 

and go over and obtain the surrender of the Colon, but this was a more 
troublesome operation than would be supposed. All the boats had been 
filled with water, and covered over with wet canvas, to prevent them 
taking fire from an enemy's shell, and it was some twenty minutes 
before one of the boats could be lowered. Then came the wild 
scramble, and many appeals to be made part of the crew, from every 
m.an and officer aboard, and when the boat's crew was finally selected 
it was certainly a motley one, consisting of half-stripped men who had 
come out of the turrets, handling rooms or boiler rooms with the dirt 
and smut of battle upon them, and, tired as they were, perfectly willing 
to pull an oar to get over and obtain the surrender. 

CAPTAIN COOK RECEIVES SURRENDER OF COLON 

* 

Captain Cook took with him from among the officers Lieutenant 
B. W. Wells, Commodore Schley's flag secretary, and Ensign Edward 
McCauley; while Boatswain Hill took charge of the boat. When the 
boat ran alongside of the Colon the Spaniards received it with mild 
cheers, saying, "Bravo Americanos" to the crew, as if they half 
expected that their captors were going to treat them very badly. Cap- 
tain Moreu received Captain Cook on board and with tears standing in 
his eyes said: "I surrender. You were too much for us." Commodore 
Paredes, the second in command under Cervera, was aboard this ship, 
and he was very much affected over the surrender, sobbing bitterly as he 
gave his parole. They escorted Captain Cook to their cabin, which had 
been wrecked by a shell passing through it, and there they were told by 
the Captain that their surrender must be absolute and unconditional. 
Captain Moreu said that the officers would like to retain their personal 
effects, and Captain Cook replied that that was a matter the Com- 
mander-in-Chief would have to settle when he arrived. Much to the 
surprise of Captain Cook, he found that there had been but a few 



.348 CHASING THE COLON 

men killed on the Colon, and that some of these had been shot by 
officers for refusing to go back to the fires. But two shells had 
gone through her, and both of these were five-inch shells from the 
Brooklyn, so it was evident that the fear of the heavy shells of the 
Oregon, the fact that she could not get out of the bight and run to 
sea without meeting the Brooklyn, and the frightful fate that had met 
her sister ships, had caused her to surrender. There was serious 
evidence aboard that the Spaniards had not behaved in a thoroughly 
chivalrous manner. The breech-blocks of their guns were missing, and 
they had evidently knocked off the heads of their sea valves and 
opened the torpedo tubes so as to sink the ship. This latter thing 
could not have been done until after she had hauled down her flag. 
One other curious thing found was that the Colon did not have her 
large eleven-inch guns, and that her two turrets were empty. At first 
Captain Cook supposed they might have been dismounted for use in 
the batteries around Santiago, but it turned out later that she had never 
had these big guns, the ship having hastily been sent over here v/ithout 
completing her. She had, however, two beautiful batteries of six-inch 
guns, six of them on a side. 

Another interesting thing noted by Captain Cook was the fact that 
several of the officers had packed their trunks and were ready to leave 
the ship, so that on their run to the west they had evidently determined 
that they would be caught sooner or later, and had made their 
preparations accordingly. 




M 










^'^. 




CHAPTER XX 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

WHILE Captain Cook was aboard the Colon, Commodore Schley 
went up on the bridge where he could get a better view of 
the oncoming American ships and of the surrendered Colon. As soon 
as he arrived there the signal, "The enemy has surrendered," was 
raised by Ensign McCauley, who at the same time jointly with Flag- 
Lieutenant Sears announced that the New York was not yet in signal 
distance. In the meantime it was noticed that the Texas, about five and 
one-half miles astern of us, had repeated our signal, evidently appreci- 
ating that Admiral Sampson would not be able to make it out on the 
Brooklyn, but that he might perhaps be able to see it on the Texas. 
The Commodore reached over to me, took my glasses, and looked 
searchingly to the east, saying slowly as he did so, "There is the Texas, 
and there is the Vixen, but I don't see the New York." 

THE NEW YORK REFUSES TO ANSWER SIGNALS 

And then as he kept the glasses up, in an instant he had evidently 
found her, for he remarked: "Yes, there she is. I can tell her by her 
smoke." This was at 1:45 o'clock, and the Colon had gone ashore at 
1:15, while Captain Cook had received the surrender at 1 :43. Captain 
Cook, however, was detained aboard the Colon in his desire to be 
courteous, and had not started to return by the time the New York 
came in sight. At two o'clock, just as she got where we considered 

351 



852 THE COMMA AWER-IN-CHIEF 

her in signal distance, Commodore Schley ordered the signal raised: 
"A glorious victory has been achieved. Details later." This signal 
replaced the one which we had had flying for nearly three-quarters of 
an hour, "The enemy has surrendered," and which the New York had 
not answered. Vainly the signal officers on the bridge watched the 
New York for even the courtesy of an answering pennant showing that 
she understood our signal. 

NO MESSAGE OF CONGRATULATION 

Nevertheless, as the New York approached rapidly, Commodore 
Schley ordered another signal set, "This is a great day for our country." 
Instead of an answering pennant to this signal, there went up on the 
signal halyards of the New York a set of flags, which at first officers and 
men alike on the Brooklyn hoped to be a message of congratulation, 
but v/hich proved to be a terse command, "Report your casualties." 

"Report your casualties," repeated Schley, turning on his heel and 

walking over to the other side of the bridge, a pained expression on his 

face; and up to our signal masts went the flags, "One dead and two 

wounded." 

SCHLEY THANKS ALL THE VESSELS 

As if in direct contrast to this curious attitude of Sampson's flag- 
ship, Commodore Schley immediately began sending messages of 
thanks and congratulations to the vessels which had been near him 
during his great emergency. To the Oregon he had wig-wagged: 
"Thanks for your splendid assistance. If it hadn't been for you we 
might not have been here." To the Texas he sent the words: "You 
did glorious work. Thank you for keeping with us." And to the little 
Vixen, a converted yacht which had kept along with us, he signaled, 
"Thank you for trying to keep near us. You might have been of great 
assistance." And in response to each of these messages there came 



THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 358 

from each of the ships spoken cheer after cheer, all of which were 
answered by the men on the Brooklyn. 

Somebody raised a broom at our masthead on one of the pennant 
halyards, and the crew of the Oregon followed suit and then gave three 
cheers for Commodore Schley. On the Texas the men all lined up on 
the forward-deck and at 'request from somebody aboard— 1 presume 
Captain Philip himself— gave three cheers for Commodore Schley. The 
little Vixen circled around us three or four times, her crew yelling 
themselves hoarse for the Brooklyn, for Schley, and for the victory. 
But from the New York there came never a sound of joyfulness and 
never a cheer. 

MEN AND OFFICERS OF NEW YORK NATURALLY DISGRUNTLED 

Of course, both officers and men on the New York were naturally 
disgruntled. It must have been a terribly hard thing to them to feel 
that after five weeks of waiting they had been cheated out of a chance 
to take a shot at the Spanish fleet or to help in the entire destruction 
that five of their sister ships had accomplished. It was hard, of course, 
to think that the man who had planned and schemed so successfully as 
to keep the fleet in all of these five weeks, and who had perhaps spent 
many a sleepless night plotting methods for their destruction, had only 
been able to see the wrecked hulks lying along the Cuban shore as he 
followed up the chase ; but yet there was not an officer or a man who 
did not look forward to a message of congratulation and who did not feel 
disappointed that if, even in his perturbation Admiral Sampson had for- 
gotton to thank his fleet, his memory was not jogged by his staff officers. 

NEW YORK INTERCEPTS BOAT OF BROOKLYN 

As the New York ran in between the Brooklyn and her prize, it was 
evident that Captain Cook's slow-going boat, propelled by a lot of weary 



354 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

arms that had helped so hard in the fight that day, would be intercepted. 
Here was the climax. Schley's ship had borne the brunt of battle. 
Schley's broad pennant had been followed. Sampson's flagship had never 
been within signal distance of the fleet, although the Indiana's captain 
claims that he saw the flagship nearly all the time during the battle, 
from his extreme eastern position; but if that were so, Captain Taylor, 
knowing that the Brooklyn and the Oregon were out of signal distance 
of the New York, must explain why he did not repeat the Commander- 
in-Chief's signals to the fleet. According to Captain Evans, of the Iowa, 
who ran in after the Viscaya at a point twelve miles to the west of the 
harbor, the New York did not pass him until 1 1:30 o'clock, which was 
exactly two hours and thirty-five minutes after the fight had begun, and 
two hours after five of the enemy's ships had been sunk or beached. 
This of course would put her out of signal distance of the fleet, because 
practically she had to run at good high speed for two hours before she 
could catch up with the leading vessels in the chase, and it was 2:25 
o'clock before she stopped her engines opposite the Colon, while the 
Colon had beached at 1:15. 

SCHLEY REQUESTS THE SURRENDER OF THE CRISTOBAL COLON 

Picking up the megaphone, which stood in a convenient corner of the 
bridge. Commodore Schley did the one thing that day for which I have 
always criticised him, — lowered his dignity sufficiently to plead with the 
commander of the fleet that he might have the surrender of the ship 
whose escape had been frustrated by the Brooklyn and the Oregon, thus 
making complete the day's victory. 

"I request the honor of the surrender of the Cristobal Colon," he 
said in a clear, distinct voice; and from the Commander-in-Chief's flag- 
ship came wafted back the insolent answer from a cadet, "What?" 

"I request the honor of the surrender of the Cristobal Colon," 



THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF l^-)? 

again called the Commodore, and this time his voice trembled slightly. 
We watched the bridge of the New York closely, and Lieutenant Sears! 
holding up the megaphone to his ear, waited intently for an answer.' 
But none came. And that message, as had all the others preceding it, 
which had been addressed by Schley to the New York, since the 
destruction of the Spanish fleet, remained unanswered, while from 
the other side of the flagship a megaphone message ordered Captain 
Cook to report with his prisoners from the Colon aboard the New York, 
so that the ship that had not fired a shot that day except at a defenseless 
and surrendered torpedo boat, might have the honor of the surrender. 
Captain Cook reported on the New York, together with the Spanish 
prisoners, and at the same time told the Commander-in-Chief that the 
Colon was in a sinking condition, her torpedo tubes being open and the 
heads of her sea valves knocked off. Then the Captain got in his boat 
and returned to the Brooklyn. 

SCHLEY'S GENEROSITY TO THE VANQUISHED SPANIARDS 

In the meantime. Commodore Schley not being able to see, 
because the New York shut out the view, that Captain Cook had gone 
aboard her and surrendered his prisoners, and believing fully that 
Admiral Sampson would allow him the honor of the surrender, as 
requested, made preparations to receive the Spaniards aboard. Look- 
ing down from the bridge over the motley crowd of sailors gathered 
upon the fo'castle, some of them half naked, and all covered with per- 
spiration and powder smoke, he called down to them, "Bullies, the 
Spanish officers are coming aboard. Don't cheer; we have vanquished 
them to-day and we can afford to be generous," or words to that effect. 
The sailors looked up, and appreciating the thoughtfulness that 
prompted the request, responded heartily, "Aye, aye. sir." 

As Captain Cook's boat came from behind the New York and 



358 . THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

toward the Brooklyn, we saw to our surprise that it had been emptied 
of its Spanish officers, and therefore Commodore Schley's caution to his 
men was unwittingly superfluous. The Commodore thereupon, after 
Captain Cook had come aboard and reported, ordered the boat to 
wait for him, and getting into it, went over to the New York to officially 
report. 

During this time I had seen the Vixen run up alongside of the New 
York, and suspecting that she was going to take dispatches to the 
nearest cable station, I asked permission to board her. Lieutenant 
Staunton, flag lieutenant for Admiral Sampson, had already been put 
aboard of her, as had also a correspondent of the Associated Press 
who was accompanying the New York. Lieutenant Staunton objected 
to the Vixen waiting for me, saying that one correspondent was enough, 
evidently having in mind the fact that if I got to the cable station I would 
undoubtedly give the credit of the fight itself to Commodore Schley, 
while there probably was no such intention upon the part of Lieutenant 
Staunton or anybody else from the New York. Commander Sharpe, 
however, with whom I had been quite closely associated and who was 
in command of the Vixen, insisted upon waiting for me, although 
Staunton urged the fact that Admiral Sampson desired the dispatches 
taken in a hurry. I was thereupon allowed to go aboard to hear, as I 
did hear, the enthusiastic account of the fight as given by Commander 
Sharpe and Lieutenant Harlow, who of course had seen the whole 
battle. Unfortunately we made out a battleship just after we had 
started, which Lieutenant Staunton asserted was the Spanish ship 
Pelayo, and we turned around and ran back to the fleet without filing 
our dispatches. 

STAUNTON CLAIMS THE VICTORY BELONGS TO SAMPSON 

I was really glad this occurred because Commander Sharpe and 
Lieutenant Harlow on the one side and Lieutenant Staunton on the 



THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF X^^ 

other were getting into a rather bitter dispute, the two former declaring 
that the New York was never for a moment in the fight or even within 
signal distance, while the Brooklyn had borne the brunt of it, and 
Lieutenant Staunton arguing that while they hadn't fired a gun 
from the New York, they had been fairly near the fight and it was 
therefore Admiral Sampson's victory. The officers of the Vixen had 
been in an unusually advantageous position to see the combat, her offi- 
cers not having anything to do but watch the fighting, their ship being 
too small to take into action. 

REPORT THAT ANOTHER SPANISH BATTLESHIP WAS COMING IN 

Just what occurred on the New York between Commodore 
Schley and Admiral Sampson as to any personal conversation, is with 
me only a matter of record through conversations with Commodore 
Schley, but the interview was a cordial one, Captain Clark taking part 
in it. While it was occurring, however, the Resolute, in command of 
Captain Eaton, came along and signaled that another Spanish vessel 
had been sighted, and that he believed it to be the Pelayo, one of 
Spain's heavy battleships. Admiral Sampson ordered the Brooklyn 
and the Oregon to go out and find her, and Captain Clark, of the Ore- 
gon, tells the little story of the order so well that I use his statement in 
lull here. Captain Clark said: 

THE BROOKLYN AND OREGON ORDERED AFTER THE SHIP 

"It was reported by Captain Eaton, of the Resolute, that a Spanish 
battleship had arrived off Santiago, and I think he said he had been pur- 
sued by her. I will not say anything about that, though, as 1 am not 
certain, but he was positive he had seen a Spanish battleship. The 
Admiral did not seem to be impressed by that; he seemed incredulous. 
I remarked that it must be Camara's fleet, that they had arrived there 



8^0 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

to form a junction with Cervera's fleet, but that they had arrived too 
late. The Admiral did not dissent; he did not say anything to that. 
Presently he said: 'Well, Clark, you will have to go after that ship.' 
Believing, as I did, that there was really a Spanish battleship there, 1 
said: 'Well, Admiral, in war we want to overpower the enemy, if pos- 
sible. Why should not the Brooklyn go along?' He turned and said : 
' Certainly. Schley, you go also.' Then feeling that I had perhaps as- 
sumed too much in speaking to an admiral and suggesting that a com- 
modore also accompany me, I turned around to the Commodore and 
said: 'Commodore, we have knocked out several vessels this morning; 
we can knock out another one, can't we?' He said: 'Certainly we can, 
come on,' and started over the side. I started for my boat too, I think, 
on the other side of the vessel, though I do not remember about that. 
What I was most impressed with was his cheerful, cheery manner of 
approving of my having mentioned his going — that he had no feeling as 
a senior against me for suggesting it, and was rather approving and 
cheerful in his manner." 

NO DESIRE OF SAMPSON TO ENGAGE SPANISH FLEET 

The curious part of this order for the Oregon and Brooklyn to go 
out is, that it was a tacit admission that there was no desire upon the 
part of those in command of the New York to take an active part in the 
destruction of the Spanish fleet. The Oregon had damaged some of 
her biggest guns by using extreme elevation for them. Her crew at the 
boilers and engines were practically exhausted by the extreme heat 
during the four hours' fight in which she had taken so glorious a part. 
Her men behind the guns were naturally affected by the nervous tension 
under which they had worked, and her ammunition had been greatly 
depleted by the rapidity of her fire. The Brooklyn was even worse off. 
The only man killed that day was aboard that ship, the body covered 



THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 303 

with a tarpaulin, and tlie only men injured in the fight were lying in her 
hospital. Six of her five-inch guns were so badly damaged in the 
mounts that they could hardly be used. Some of her eight-inch guns 
were likewise damaged. Her boiler force had been four hours in front 
of the hot furnaces; her gun crews had, according to the amount of 
ammunition used, worked harder and faster than any other crews in the 
fight. She had many a hole through her, and a supposed injury below 
the water line that had filled one of her apartments, and she had borne 
the brunt of the fighting during the day. 

OFFICERS AND MEN OF FLAGSHIP ANXIOUS TO FIGHT 

And the New York ! True, her fire and engine forces had done 
heroic work, trying to bring her into the fight, but from her guns two 
shells only had been fired, one at an already disabled torpedo boat, and 
one at the batteries of Santiago as she had passed them, so that her 
magazines were full of ammunition. Her gunners, who had stood with 
their hands by their sides during the four hours' engagement with the 
Spanish fleet, were ready and anxious for battle, and there is every 
reason to suppose would have greeted the opportunity to go out after this 
alleged Spaniard with a cheer. Her officers had stood around idly, 
simply watching the other vessels of the fleet destroy the Spaniards. 
Here was the opportunity for Admiral Sampson and his chief- of- staff 
to put her in active duty. But they did not. 

SCHLEY CHEERED BY CREW OF TEXAS 

Commodore Schley climbed down the side of the New York and 
came aboard the Brooklyn, stopping at the stern of the Texas long 
enough to receive a cheer from the men he had formerly commanded 
and asking permission of Captain Philip to use his chaplain on the mor- 
row to bury the dead Ellis. Then as the crew of his gig pulled him 



364 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

away, he called back to Philip, "I'm going out to get another one, 
Jack." 

BROOKLYN GOES OUT ALONE FOT^ SUPPOSED SPANISH SHIP 

Once on board, the Brooklyn headed out in the direction toward 
which the Spanish ship was supposed to be. The signal was made for 
the Oregon to follow, but the Oregon didn't follow, much to Commodore 
Schley's and Captain Cook's surprise. Captain Clark doesn't know 
why he was ordered not to go, and Admiral Sampson has never given 
an explanation. The Oregon had a hawser to the Colon attempting to 
pull her off the beach and this may have been the reason why she did 
not accompany the Brooklyn, but true it is that the latter went out alone. 

When Commodore Schley noticed that the Oregon was not accom- 
panying him, he turned to Captain Cook and said, "Well, Cook, after 
what has happened this day I think we can give them a pretty good 
circus, anyway." And then the Commodore ordered that the port side 
on which the guns were in better shape be kept trained on the enemy, 
as soon as she was sighted. On the way out he met the Vixen coming 
back at a lively pace and signaling "Enemy's vessel discovered to the 
east." Admiral Sampson's flag lieutenant, Staunton, who was aboard 
her, megaphoned over to the Brooklyn, "We have sighted a ship flying 
the Spanish colors coming from the east. She is a battleship, and I 
think the Pelayo." Commodore Schley megaphoned back "All right," 
and the Brooklyn flying her tattered battle flags and under a good head 
of steam, kept on her way. 

THE ALLEGED SPANISH VESSEL DISCOVERED 

Very soon the alleged Spaniard was discovered, and Captain Cook 
said to Commodore Schley, "That fellow is flying the Spanish flag, but 
that is not the Pelayo. The Pelayo has turrets and this fellow 
hasn't any." 



THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 365 

Closer the Brooklyn got to her, and began circling around her. 
drawing the circle smaller each time and keeping her port battery trained 
upon the strange vessel. Suddenly Captain Cook, who had been look- 
ing at her closely through the glasses, turned to Commodore Schley 
and said, "That's a funny thing. She has up a string of international 
signals." 

SHE FLIES THE AUSTRIAN FLAG 

International signals are those made between merchant vessels, or 
between ships of war during peace times. It not being peace times with 
us, there was some difficulty in finding the international signal book, 
and as it was beginning to get rather dark, the foreign ship of war 
turned her own searchlights on her flags, as if she was very anxious to 
have us read them aright. Then the Brooklyn's signal officers made 
out this signal: "This ship flies the Austrian flag. Please don't fire." 

I have no doubt that the Austrians heard the roar of laughter which 
greeted this rendering of the signal. In a few moments a boat was 
lowered from that vessel, and one of her officers came alongside the 
Brooklyn. He presented his commander's respects to Commodore 
Schley, and said that they desired to enter the harbor of Santiago. 
"You will have to communicate with the Commander-in-Chief concern- 
ing that," said the Commodore. The young officer said that he had 
heard from another American vessel, the Indiana, of the destruction of 
the Spanish fleet. As he was leaving, he turned to the Commodore 
and said, "How far shall we lie out behind your blockade line to-night?" 
And Commodore Schley, with just a touch of sarcasm in his voice, 
answered, "Well, sir; the distance ought to be ten miles, but if I were you 
and had no countersign, considering the situation, I would make it 
twenty." And he did, as we saw no more of him that night. 

Commodore Schley did not go back to report to Admiral Sampson, 
believing that his proper place as second in command was off Santiago, 



3r)r> THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

so the Brooklyn continued on her way to that harbor, where she arrived 
about midnight. 

THE COLON TURNS OVER IN THE SURF 

Where the Colon had gone ashore was, until midnight, a most 
interesting scene. The officers and men of the surrendered ship were 
taken off by the yacht Vixen and sent to the ship Resolute as prisoners. 
The hawser which the Oregon had sent over to the Colon had pulled 
her off the sliding bank of sand on which she was lying, and she rapidly 
filled with water. The New York pushed her upon the beach very 
cleverly, but the Spaniards had done their work so thoroughly that just 
after the last boat load had been taken away from her, she turned over 
on her side. 

In the meantime no cable dispatch announcing the victory having 
been sent. Admiral Sampson put Flag-Lieutenant Sidney A. Staunton 
upon the torpedo boat Ericsson and sent him down to Siboney, where 
the army had established a cable station, with orders to send a dispatch 
to the Navy Department, the result being that Mr. Staunton wrote this 
dispatch, signing it, as he was authorized to do, with Admiral Sampson's 
name: 

The fleet under my command offers the nation as a Fourth of July 
present the whole of Cervera's fleet. It attempted to escape at 9:30 
this morning. At two the last ship, the Cristobal Colon, had run 
ashore, seventy-five miles west of Santiago and hauled down her colors. 
The Infanta Maria Teresa, Oquendo, and Viscaya were forced ashore, 
burned, and blown up within twenty miles of Santiago. The Furor and 
Pluton v/ere destroyed within four miles of the port. Sampson. 

WAITING FOR NEWS FROM WASHINGTON 

The men on the ships of the squadron that had taken part in 
this tremendous encounter with such splendid credit to themselves and 
the nation were reassembled before the harbor of Santiago on the 




s^i;:^^v^^i '/^^ 



THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 369 

morning of July 4th, and upon that day and several succeeding days 
waited for some message of congratulation from the Commander-in- 
Chief, or from officials at Washington, but it was not until July 8th, that 
in an exceedingly formal way the congratulations of the President and 
of Secretary of the Navy Long were conveyed to the wondering and 
waiting crews. No word from Admiral Sampson accompanied them. 
Whether or not the dispatches from the President and the Secretary 
were held up or belated by the cable, I do not know, but it is to be 
presumed that they were. 



17 



CHAPTER XXI 
SCHLET IN BATTLE 

THE biting, blinding swirl of smoke from the thundering pair of 
eight-inch guns in the forward turret of the Brooklyn blew aside 
for an instant, and as Lieutenant Simpson stuck his head out of the 
cover of the turret and sang out, "Did that one hit them, Commodore?" 
the lithe, active figure on the little platform outside of the conning tower 
dropped the binoculars from his eyes for an instant and said, "1 couldn't 
see it, Simpson, but keep right at them." 

THE MAN WHO RESCUED GREELY 

This tall, slim figure, in blue and white, with hardly a mark on his 
uniform to identify him, with iron gray hair, moustache and imperial, 
was the commander this eventful day because of the absence of the 
Commander-in-Chief of the American squadron, which had suddenly 
found itself in combat mortal with the Spanish squadron of Cervera. 
He stood there on the little temporary footboard placed for just this 
purpose on the outside of the conning tower, the same erect, energetic 
figure that years before, in the lookout box on the mast of an American 
cruiser, gazed across ice fields and ordered the ship pushed through 
them to rescue the starving Greely and his party from the death that 
would have come to them in forty-eight hours but for this man s 

indomitable will. 

When he had answered Simpson's query, the glasses went up to 
his eyes again, and pointing with his other hand toward the first two 

371 



37-2 SCHLEY IN BATTLE 

vessels which had now emerged from the harbor, he said to Captain 
Cook, "They are coming to the west, Cook. Go straight at them." 
Then, with that thoughtful self-possession and kindliness which has 
always marked him, he said, "Keep the men below informed of the 
progress of the fight." 

THE NEW YORK NOT IN SIGHT 

The figure in front of the conning tower was that of Winfield Scott 
Schley, and the battle the culmination of those five weeks of waiting 
before the harbor of Santiago which had followed the discovery of 
Cervera's fleet by this same successful sea-fighter. In these first few 
minutes as the Spanish fleet moved out, there was the natural hurry 
and the intense excitement which would mark such a surprise, but this 
figure in blue on the roughly-erected promenade talked off orders like 
clockwork. "Signal close in," he said to Lieutenant Sears, who stood 
near him; "Signal they are going to the west," he said in another 
instant; and, "Open fire. Cook, and fire deliberately," were some of the 
orders he gave preceding Simpson's inquiry concerning the effect of his 
first shot. "I can't see the New York," was the next remark he made. 
"Can any of you see her?" and he handed the glasses over to one of 
the signal officers near him. The response to this inquiry that "She 
was not in sight," brought from him the remark, "Then It's our fight," 
and he leaned back against the conning tower, and held the glasses as 
steadily to his eyes as if in peace times he had been trying to get 
a glimpse of the home shore after a long voyage. 

THE ONES THAT YOU HEAR WON'T HURT YOU 

"You messengers look out for that gun blast," he said to a lot of 

half-dressed sailors, as the ship lunged slightly to starboard and the 

-forward pair of eight-inch guns came swinging around to port. "Don't 



SCHLEY IN BA TTLE wi:, 

duck," he said, with a pleasant smile to me as something whizzed over 
us, "The ones that you hear won't hurt you," and then back he went to 
the serious work of the day. There wasn't a tremor to his arm as he raised 
it and, pointing to the harbor, said, "There comes the fourth one. Cook." 
and then as he saw the Brooklyn swing in very close to the enemy and 
saw the enemy's ships spread out in fan shape as if to surround him, he 
said, "Put your helm hard aport, Cook." "It is hard aport," answered 
Cook, coughing and spluttering through the smoke. "Well, get her 
around quickly," he said, and although standing a few feet from him, 1 
could not see him for the smoke, but I could hear the musical voice of 
the Commodore say, "Damn that smoke. Oh, for some wind." 

THE SPANISH FLAGSHIP ON FIRE 

"We might go around quicker," said Lieutenant-Commander Hodg- 
son to Captain Cook, "if we backed on the starboard engine," and Cook 
had just started to reply to him when Schley said sharply, "No, no; we 
will go around faster and not lose headway if we use both engines 
ahead." We were pretty well turned now, and the Commodore had 
stepped around the conning tower until he was on the starboard side, 
directly facing the enemy. The bugle had blown for the starboard bat- 
tery to open, and the smoke having cleared so that Schley could see 
the men going to the five-inch guns, he called to them as they started in 
to work, "Give them hell, bullies," and then in another instant slapped 
his side with glee, almost dropping his binoculars, as he pointed toward 
the first ship, from which was rising a light column of smoke showing 
that she had been hit and was starting to burn. "That's the stuff; that's 
the stuff," he said excitedly; and then, to the young range finder, "Get 
that range, Ellis; we're dropping a little short." 

I shall never forget him during those moments; he was all life, 
activity, and nerve. He noticed the most trivial things. I had knelt 



376 SCHLEY IN BA TTLE 

down, almost at his feet, to take a photograph. He said as calmly as if he 
had been criticising me in a public street somewhere, "You'll never get 
a picture there, Graham. Go to the quarter-deck where the smoke 
blows clear." He was the inspiration of every man forward. Some 
small, fourteen-year-old boys, apprentices, who were acting as messen- 
gers, had at first shown signs either of apprehension or great excite- 
ment; but, as the Commodore told them calmly to take messages and 
walked coolly around this wooden platform with the shells flying close 
to him and shrieking over his head and in the deafening noise of his 
own ship's guns, even the youngsters took heart from his example. 

THE BROOKLYN FIGHTS ENTIRE SPANISH FLEET 

"Look out for the torpedo boats, Cook," he sang out once, as the 
lookout above notified us through the megaphone that they were coming 
out of the harbor. An instant after Captain Cook said, "There are no 
other American vessels in sight." Putting his glasses to his eyes 
Schley scanned carefully the dense mass of smoke which hung like a 
curtain three-quarters of a mile behind us. On our starboard side were 
the four Spanish vessels, each one of them plainly in view, and each of 
them firing. If Schley had given the slightest indication at that moment 
that he v/as afraid of the result, or if he had ordered the helm put over 
to take the Brooklyn out of the fight, it is perfectly possible that panic 
would have seized us all. But as coolly as if he were saying that he 
would join a pleasure cruise. Commodore Schley said to Cook all in the 
same breath, "Well, we are going to stay with them. Keep her in 
toward them," and, in the next instant, to Ellis, "Get that range, Ellis." 
He stepped out from the shadow of the turret and took the range. 
" 1 ,200 yards," he sang out, and turned to step back. The next moment 
his headless body dropped to the deck. A six-pounder shell had 
knocked his head off. Two men were about to throw the body over- 



SCHLE Y IN BA TTLE 3 7 7 

board, but, in the midst of a rain of missiles, with every indication that 
the Brooklyn was to be sacrificed, with almost everything depending 
upon this man in front of the conning tower, Schley said quickly, " Don't 
throw that body overboard. Take it below and we'll give it Christian 
burial." Hardly had the body been lifted to a place below the super- 
structure when there was a slight cheer, and Schley, looking around 
with his glasses toward the curtain of smoke, sav/ the nose of the 
Oregon, with a great white wave piled up in front of her, come rifting 
through. "By George, you're all right," he said, and almost at the 
same instant, the Maria Teresa turned in toward the shore, a great 
column of smoke rising from her quarter-deck. Catching Captain Cook 
in an almost vice-like grip by the shoulder, the Commodore exclaimed, 
"Cook, we've got one. Tell the bullies below about it." 

SIGNAL HALYARDS OF BROOKLYN SHOT AWAY 

In the shadow of the turret just near Commodore Schley stood 
young Ensign McCauley. It was his duty to send to the top of the 
masts the signal flags expressing the Commander-in-Chief's wishes to 
the remainder of the fleet. A flag came fluttering down just in front of 
us. "What's the matter, McCauley?" asked the Commodore, smilingly; 
and with much gravity for a young man, McCauley answered, " Halyards 
all shot away, sir." "You don't tell me so?" said Schley, and as if in 
answer to his query, there came down with a rattle and a bang a speed 
cone, striking heavily upon the platform near him as if to prove the truth 
of Mr McCauley's statement that the Spaniards were shooting our tops 
away. The cone is very heavy, and if it had hit the Commodore it 
would probably have put him out of action, but he paid not the slightest 
attention to it, except to say to McCauley. "You can use the halyards 
aft. I'll send a messenger to you." And then this remarkable man 
turned his glasses again to the Spanish ships, and discovering that the 



378 SCHLEY IN BA TTLE 

second vessel was just about going ashore, said to liis flag lieutenant, 
Mr. Sears, "Sears, she looks as if she were very badly hit, and she may 
sink before she gets to shore." Mr. Sears looked at her for a few 
moments, and reported, " No, sir, she is in shallow water already, but 
her magazine will soon be reached by that hot fire." 
"Poor devils," said Schley, in a sympathetic tone. 

TERRIFIC FIRE FROM BROOKLYN DISABLES VISCAYA 

We were now in the thickest of the fight, for we were broadside to 
the Viscaya. and at closer quarters than any of the other ships had been. 
There was a grinding, crashing noise from the deck beneath us, and 
Schley said, quickly, "They have landed something in us. Send a mes- 
senger and see how many are killed and wounded." In a moment, the 
messenger hurried up and reported that a six and seven-tenths inch 
shell had come in and exploded, but that only one man was hurt. Once, 
as he glued his binoculars to his eyes and took another glance at the 
Viscaya, which v/as on our starboard quarter, he gave expression to 
intense feeling in a long-drawn-out, " My God," as his glasses showed 
him the picture of an eight-inch shell from the Brooklyn striking a torpedo 
in one of the Spanish ship's forward torpedo tubes and bursting out all 
of her port bow. But, the spirit of the contest overpowering him again, 
as he saw a shell from the Oregon strike the Viscaya astern, he shouted 
to Captain Cook, exultingly, "We've got that one, too. Cook. She 
can't stand that firing." True to the prophecy, she turned at that instant, 
and started for the shore She listed a little bit to port where the great, 
ragged hole was torn in her side, and Schley remarked in an instant, 
showing the predominance of that humanity which always marks the 
true hero, "We'd better signal Philip to stay alongside of her. She may 
go down in deep water." The signal was not raised, however, because 
before it could be prepared she had run on a coral reef and the Texas 
\;;,3 going in to her assistance. 



SCHLR Y IN BA TTLE 38 1 

The Colon was now about six miles ahead of us, the only one of the 
Spanish ships remaining to fight, and for the first time, in all that two 
hours of fiercest fighting, this active man who had directed one of the 
greatest sea fights in history, began to show signs of nervousness. Yet, 
he did not forget that below the decks and in the turrets were tired, hot 
men, who, if there was to be any lull in the battle, needed air and 
refreshment. 

STUDYING HOW TO CATCH THE COLON 

"Signal the Oregon to cease firing," was the order given in another 
minute by the Commodore to Lieutenant Sears, and then he began to 
study the position of the Colon and the proposition of getting her. He 
watched her very intently for some minutes, next studying the coast- 
line. Lieutenant Hodgson came down from the chart room with a map 
of the coast, and the Commodore carefully conned it. Then again he 
closely scanned the coast with his binoculars, going out on the fo'castle 
to get an unobstructed view. Once he clenched his fist and almost 
shook it at the Spanish ship, muttering, "I'll get that fellow if I have to 
follov/ him to the coast of Spain." Once again he studied the map, 
once more the coast-line, and still once again the Colon. Then he 
looked around at the Oregon and smiled, giving his shoulders a quick, 
characteristic shake as though he had solved a knotty problem. His 
confidence was returning. He had seen a way to head off the Colon 
and was positive that he was to succeed. A cape, fifteen miles to the 
west, projected far out into the ocean. The Colon was running close 
inshore, and to round this cape would have to make a long detour to 
the south. "Wig-wag to the Oregon to keep in close behind her," said 
Schley to Ensign McCauley; and then to Captain Cook, he added, 
"Cook, make a straight line for the cape. We can head her off that 
way, and the Oregon can help us." 

Then began that long chase, during part of which Schley sat on 



382 SCHLE Y IN BA TTLE 

the edge of the forward eight-inch turret, swinging his feet like a school- 
boy, and munching on a piece of cracker which had come up in the lot 
sent for the men. 

OREGON USES HER THIRTEEN-INCH SHELL 

Once in awhile during the chase a shade of anxiety would cross 
his face as he spoke of the fact that we were only gaining very slowly, 
and that if the enemy could but keep up the pace darkness might aid 
her in escaping. It was in one of these moments that he signaled the 
Oregon, "Try one of your railroad trains on her, Clark," meaning a 
thirteen-inch shell. And Clark answered immediately by firing two 
shots at the fleeing Spaniard. Lieutenant Simpson, who was in the 
forward turret, as he saw that neither of the thirteen-inch shells of the 
Oregon had hit, touched his cap, and he said, "Can't I try it, too, sir?" 
" I don't think you can reach," said Schley, "but if you are very anxious 
you may try," and again the Brooklyn began to fire. 

THE COLON STRIKES HER COLORS 

It was while the Brooklyn and the Oregon were firing that some- 
body thought they noticed a white flag fluttering from the masthead of 
the Colon, and there immediately arose a cry, "She has surrendered; 
she has surrendered." 

Schley raised the glasses to his eyes, looked at her intently for a 
moment, and said, "No, that's steam;" but in less than two minutes 
afterward, Mr. Mason, who was watching her through a long glass, 
called out, "She's hauled down her flag and fired a lee gun." Instantly 
Schley said, "What does that mean?" and as Mason, with a look of 
surprise, said, "That means she has surrendered," Schley exclaimed, 
with a smile, "I'm damned glad I didn't have to surrender, because I 
wouldn't have known how." 



SCHLE Y IN BA TTLE 383 

It was then that I noticed for the first time under what a strain this 
man had been. His lips were cracked, and little flecks of blood showed 
where the saltpetre from the gun smoke had affected him. His eyelids 
were red from staring through his glasses so continuously, his eyes were 
bloodshot, and there were dark lines down his face. But his hands 
were steady; his voice was even, though somewhat hoarse from the 
loud speaking which he was compelled to do to be heard above the roar 
of battle, and it seemed as though every instant he was thinking of all 
those who had helped him in that day's victory. From the New York 
to the fleet came no word of commendation, and Schley, thoroughly 
disgusted, went to the bridge of his vessel, to watch the return of 
Captain Cook, whom he had sent to receive the surrender. While he 
was there he saw that the New York was going in between the Brooklyn 
and the Colon, and then saw her intercept Captain Cook's boat. 

A trifle broken in spirit, the Commodore came down from the 
bridge, and taking his barge, went over to make his official report to 
Admiral Sampson. 

THE MAGNANIMOUS SPIRIT SHOWN BY COMMODORE SCHLEY 

I shall never forget the joyful mood in which he came back, and 
told Captain Cook, " Cook, they have sighted another Spaniard out there, 
and we are going out to get her." It never apparently crossed his mind 
that it was a curious thing that the Brooklyn, with damaged guns, tired 
men. and reduced ammunition, should be sent out to fight again, when 
the New York, with fresh crew, clean guns, and plenty of ammunition, 
stayed by a dilapidated prize. That it was an Austrian ship, and not a 
Spaniard, may perhaps to-day be a cause for congratulation by the 

American public. 

And when the evening had come, and the good Brooklyn was 
speeding toward her station off Santiago, and the crew had appealed to 



as4 SCHLEY IN BATTLE 

Captain Cook to allow them to cheer the Commodore, he stood on the 
quarter-deck, his hand raised in a sort of deprecating manner as they 
cheered, and, when they had finished, he said, "Bullies, the victory 
belongs to every one of you, as much as it does to me. You men 
behind the guns, and you men below decks, did the work this day." 

And that night, as we ran alongside of the Iowa, it was Schley 
from the bridge who called to the men on the deck of the Brooklyn, 
"Admiral Cervera is aboard the Iowa. We have vanquished him to-day, 
.and I hope you v/ill not cheer, but shov/ your generosity to him for his 
courage." 



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CHAPTER XXII 
PERSONAL BRAVERT 

DURING all these four hours of action with the Spanish ships I saw 
many singular incidents which demonstrated the nonchalant 
bravery of the American seaman in time of great danger. In a few 
minutes after the first shots had been fired from the Brooklyn, the 
almost hysterical enthusiasm that actuates men in a moment of great 
danger had passed. The coolness of a partial despair born of a knowl- 
edge that careful work and quick work were their only salvation had 
grown on all in the fight. The messengers, who, traversing the most 
dangerous portions of the ship, had at first rushed headlong to the deliv- 
ery point, shrieking the message, began to move more sedately; the 
gunners watched the effect of a shot before they fired again; the men 
came out of the turrets for a breath of air, and discussed with disdain 
the shooting of the enemy, although we were hit several times. Captain 
Cook, of the Brooklyn, scorning the protection of eight inches of steel in 
his conning tower, walked about and discussed the ship's movements 
with Schley; and the men not busy at the guns would get in exposed 
positions to see, as they expressed it, "where the dagoes were." The 
Spanish had opened with their rapid-fire guns, and partly because the 
forecastle where I stood was covered with smoke from our own guns, 
and partly because I wanted to know how the men in the various 
divisions were conducting themselves, I started to make a tour of the 
ship. . . - . . . . - _ 

387 



388 PERSONAL BRAVERY 

THE GUN CREWS CHEERFUL 

Passing back toward the quarter-deck I had to go by the row of 
five-inch guns, and almost every gun crew had something cheering to 
say to me, in several instances stopping to have me join in an hurrah 
with them. Going by Lieutenant Doyle's starboard eight-inch turret, 1 
heard one of his best gunners complaining as he watched the shots from 
the eight-inch gun drop, or at least tried to watch them drop: "Sir, I 
can't see the shots fall," and Lieutenant Doyle, who was sighting the 
two guns, answered him tersely, "Well, you darned fool, that's all right; 
when you don't see them drop in the water, you may know that they are 
hitting the ships." 

THE FIRE WAS CONCENTRATED ON THE VISCAYA 

In the after eight-inch turret Lieutenant Rush, with a bandana hand- 
kerchief bound round his brow, and no indication of his rank about him 
to distinguish him from the sailors and gunners in his crew, stuck his 
head out of the opening in the top, although the Viscaya's and Colon's 
shells were whistling a merry tune over it, and sang out, "Say, which of 
these ships do you want us to hit?" and Lieutenant-Commander Mason, 
who was coming by with a word of commendation for the men and 
giving them change of range, replied, "Just soak the Viscaya; she's our 
prey; she's 1.700 yards from us now, and you know the New York 
people think she's a better ship than ours." Rush dived below to begin 
aiming, and immediately after the two guns had been fired his bandana- 
capped head stuck up again and he called to me, using a favorite nick- 
name for me aboard, "Say, Cheesi, did you see me soak them?" 

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER MASON 

It was while coming out from beneath the steel superstructure to 
give an order to Lieutenant Rush that Lieutenant-Commander Mason, 



PERSONAL BRAVERY 389 

the executive of the ship, nearly lost his head and his life, and yet It was 
an extremely singular fact that he never knew of it until I told him. 
Commodore Schley had seen me trying to take a photograph of the 
Viscaya from the forward-deck, and he had said to me, "Graham, you'll 
do better on the quarter-deck, where the smoke blows clear." I was 
kneeling between the superstructure and the eight-inch after turret, my 
camera in my hand, when a concussion so great as to make me drop 
my camera, nearly knocked me flat. 1 looked up through the dense 
smoke and saw two things — Mr. Mason walking along as calmly as if 
nothing had happened, and one of the huge steel ventilators which 
furnishes fresh air for the men below decks, minus its top. The shell, 
which had taken off the top of the ventilator, had gone not over a foot 
above Lieutenant-Commander Mason's head. At ward room table that 
night I mentioned the incident. Mr. Mason immediately alleged that 
terror over the battle had probably made me lose my head and that he 
did not think that such an incident had occurred. We escorted him on 
deck and showed him where the ventilator had been destroyed, and 
then he only partially believed it. 

BRAVE ACT OF CORPORAL GRAY OF THE MARINE CORPS 

Up forward on the gun decks was a six-pounder gun that in the 
close forty minutes' action with the Viscaya had been doing valiant 
work. As the men were putting in a cartridge the shell loosened from 
the casing and became wedged. This was on the side near the enemy, 
but there was not a moment's hesitation. Out on the gun's muzzle 
crawled Corporal Robert Gray, of the Marine Corps, a rammer in his 
hand ready to drive the shell out. The gun was hot and he could not 
retain his hold, so he dropped down to the sea ladder. Over his head 
was the frightful blast and draft of the big gun, while around him 
pattered the shot of the enemy. He failed in his attempt, and Gunner 



890 PERSONAL BRAVERY 

Smith then tried it, but he too failed. It looked as if the gun would 
have to be abandoned, but Private MacNeal, of the squad, asked 
permission to make an attempt, and v/as allowed to try it. Clinging to 
the hot gun, with death by water assured if he dropped, or was knocked 
off by the concussion, and the enemy firing at him, he got the rammer 
in the muzzle and forced out the shell, amidst cheers from his comrades. 
I watched these men closely. None of them showed the slightest sign 
of heroic exhilaration. It was evidently to them a duty of the com- 
monest sort. A few minutes later a six-inch projectile smashed into a 
compartment just below them. They laughed at the gunner's aim 
when they found nobody hurt. 

TAKING SNAPSHOTS OF THE MEN 

About the decks, the men not actually busy at the guns enjoyed 
the fight hugely. When a big shell hit the upper works and exploded 
with a roar, they would make disparaging remarks about Spanish 
gunnery. At one time, during a lull in the battle, but while the Colon 
was near enough to us to shoot, and 1 believe was shooting, I took 
pictures of the men standing on top of an eight-inch turret, in easy 
range of the enemy's guns, and cheering Commodore Schley. 

COOLNESS OF ENSIGN McCAULEY 

Up on the forward-deck, just near the conning tower, but even a 
little more exposed than those who stood on the platform or the lee of 
the tower, v/as young Ensign Edward McCauley, who had charge of the 
signaling, and who had with him two or three marines and an equal 
number of sailors. At first he was apparently a trifle cautious, and bent 
his signal flags on the halyards from the lee of the big eight-inch turret, 
but as halyard after halyard was shot away, and as the fight progressed, 
and the Oregon was the only ship in the fight helping us to which he 



PERSONAL BRAVERY nor^ 

needed to do the signaling, he would climb up on the top of the eight- 
inch turret with the utmost sang froid, and using a small wig-wag flag, 
communicate with the battleship. Then, picking up his binoculars, he 
would watch carefully for the answer. Once or twice Commodore 
Schley, who was equally exposed to the fire of the enemy, gave orders 
for McCauley to come down, but he evidently grew tired of giving these 
orders, for I distinctly remember the action finishing with McCauley 
still upon the top of the turret. 

THE MARINES FOUGHT NOBLY 

Captain Murphy, of the Marine Corps, was about as beautiful an 
example of indifferent bravery as I have ever seen. The Captain is 
nothing if not stately, and it must have been very encouraging to all of 
his men, especially if they were inclined to be a trifle nervous, to see 
the dress-parade way in which he moved about the decks. He was as 
courteous, as cool and as collected as if he were running the customary 
daily drills, and I don't believe he would have ducked if he had seen a 
shell coming. His position was everywhere on the ship where there 
was a marine situated, and his particular care was the secondary 
batteries of six and one-pounders. In this he was assisted by Lieutenant 
Borden, who, although not quite as dignified as Captain Murphy, was 
equally as calm and collected. 

THE ENEMY AIMED TOO HIGH 

The enemy's shots had seemed to be fired during the early part of 
the action, at least so far as their secondary batteries were concerned, 
a trifle too high, for they had riddled our smokestacks, had cut away 
most of our signal halyards, and shot pieces out of the two great 
American flags at our mastheads. Suddenly a shot cut away the lower 
halyard of the huge American flag at the truck. I was on the quarter 



18 



394 PERSONAL BRAVERY 

deck at the time, and looking up, and it appeared as if we would lose 
the flag in a minute or two. While I was debating whether to go to 
Mr. Mason and call his attention to it, I saw a marine shinning up the 
steep ladder toward the masthead. The small shells were rattling about 
him, and the black smoke from our funnels under forced draught made 
it very unpleasant for him. But, choking and spluttering, he reached 
the top, got hold of the flag, and fastened the new halyard, which he 
had carried up with him, to the bottomi. He had saved Old Glory. 
When he came down I asked him his name, but he looked at me in a 
surprised sort of way, and rushed off to his work. The next day when 
Captain Murphy tried to discover the man, he would not give his name. 

CADET TOOK SNAPSHOT OF OQUENDO DURING FIGHT 

Captain Evans, of the Iowa, told of hearing a boatswain's mate on 
the superstructure say, as he handled a rapid-fire gun, "Now, boys, 
mind them torpedo boats. Give them hell for the Maine;" and a few 
minutes later discovering a cadet lately from Annapolis, standing on the 
forward-deck of the Iowa tilting his camera in his efforts to get a snap- 
shot of the Oquendo, while the machine guns of that ship were making 
the air sing. 

LIEUTENANT HEILNER GETS BATTLE FLAGS FOR TEXAS 

It is related of Lieutenant Heilner, of the Texas, that after the 
action had been on for about ten minutes, and after he had seen the 
immense flags which the Spanish flew, he looked up to the masthead of 
the Texas, and discovered that they did not have their battle flag up. 
"Where are our battle flags?" he cried, and Captain Philip replied, " I 
guess they won't have any .misconception about our being in battle." 
But he wanted the battle flag, and finding that the chief signal quarter- 
master was not available, and that he had the key for the locker, 



PERSONAL BRAVERY 395 

Lieutenant Heilner smashed it open, got one out, and ran it up to the 
masthead himself. 

It was on the Brooklyn that I heard a boy, a youngster of fourteen 
years of age and one of a lot of apprentices who had been received 
aboard the Brooklyn about a week before the fight, remark jubilantly, as 
he looked out of a five-inch gun sponson, "Talk about your Fourth of 
July celebrations!" and still another one, a few minutes later, as he 
paused and saw a shell hit a Spanish ship, clap his hands and yell, 
" Did you see that one plunk her?" 

WONDERFUL COOLNESS OF CAPTAIN COOK DURING ACTION 

Captain Cook, of the Brooklyn, during the entire action showed a 
nerve, coolness and reserve force that were simply remarkable. With 
the exception of raising his voice slightly so as to be heard above the din 
of his ov/n guns, he talked in the same matter-of-fact, methodical man- 
ner as he had on any day during the five months' cruise. When queried 
by Commodore Schley, Lieutenant-Commander Mason, or any of the 
other officers of the ship, he hesitated before answering, as if pondering 
his words, and this very thing demonstrated the entire control which he 
had over himself despite the excitement of the hour. He frequently 
stepped inside the conning tower to talk to the men at the helm, or to 
call down to the men below deck in the handling and fire rooms some 
words of encouragement or advice. The only time that he seemed 
surprised, or a trifle unnerved, was when, after sending a messenger to 
find out the number of killed and wounded below deck, he was startled 
at the information that Ellis was the only man killed. 

THE MEN BELOW THE DECKS 

Down below the protective decks of the Brooklyn were over three 
hundred men practically imprisoned, because the steel gratings to the 



396 PERSONAL BRAVERY 

hatchways were all laid down to prevent shells or fragments from shells 
going below deck. These men were at the engines, the fires, and in the 
ammunition rooms, and they were working as hard, if not harder, and 
certainly in a more intense heat, than the men on deck and behind the 
guns, but they found time at intervals to listen to the reports from on 
deck that came down, and to cheer vigorously when they heard of the 
Spanish ships running ashore. 

CREW OF BROOKLYN USE SPANISH SHELL FOR SOUVENIRS 

Once a piece of an exploded shell came down through a partially 
opened hatchway, and struck on the floor of one of the fire rooms. 
Instantly there was a wild scramble, not to get away from the shell, 
which they might easily have imagined it to have been, but toward it, to 
get the pieces as souvenirs. 

Hearing the concussion of a tremendous shell entering our gun 
deck, 1 hurried below to find out its effect, and see if a photograph could 
be obtained. I found the men clearing away the debris, which I thought 
a rather singular proceeding at that stage of the battle, because it was 
in nobody's way, until I discovered that what these men were really 
doing was digging out of the deck pieces of the shell to send to their 
relatives. They stood up in line as I came along with my camera, 
anxious for me to take a picture of them. 

When the fight began, that morning, there were in the ship's hos- 
pital three men, two of whom had been hurt by concussion from the 
bombardment the day before, and one of whom, a marine, was on the 
general sick list. One of these men had been thrown against a steel 
stanchion, dislocating his shoulder, and Dr. Fitz Simons had bound it 
up for him, using, I believe, some plaster in the operation. One of the 
other men, who, by the way, belonged to the same gun squad as this 
first man, had hurt his left forearm and wrist in the same manner, and 



PERSONAL BRAVERY 3'.)0 

he, too, was done up in bandages. Dr. Fitz Simons, going through the 
ship during the early part of the firing, noticed two men serving a for- 
ward five-inch gun, both of whom were wearing the signs of surgical 
treatment. It didn't quite dawn upon him at first what had happened, 
and believing that they had been hurt by explosion, he said to them 
rather sharply, "When were you men hurt? Why didn't you report 
to the hospital?" The men grew extremely busy all at once, getting 
the next cartridge ready for the gun, although the shell then in the gun 
had not been fired, and so they failed to respond. Just then the gun was 
fired, and the men hustled up the five-inch cartridge to load it again. Dr. 
Fitz Simons waited until they had loaded it, and then repeated his ques- 
tion. The men, looking rather sheepish, were just about to answer, 
when he was summoned to the forward-deck to look at Ellis' body. 
When he had finished he turned to Dr. DeValin, his assistant, and asked 
him if he had had any cases to attend to, and how the men at the after 
five-inch gun had been hurt. DeValin looked puzzled for a few 
moments, answering the first part of the question in the negative, and 
then, as the truth dawned upon him, a broad smile illumined his coun- 
tenance. "I'll bet you." he said to his superior, "those are the two 
fellows who were in the hospital yesterday." 

SICK SAILORS LEAVE HOSPITAL TO FIGHT SPANISH 

The next morning three very penitent-looking sailors stood before 
the entrance of Lieutenant-Commander Mason's cabin until finally the 
door opened and Mr. Mason stepped out. He said to them very severely. 
"You men are accused of leaving the hospital yesterday without per- 
mission. What's your excuse?" 

The big man with the dislocated shoulder had evidently been made 
spokesman, for he said in a rather plaintive voice, "Please, sir, you see 
we heard firing, and I said as how we was bombarding again, but Bill 



400 PERSONAL BRAVERY 

Jones he climbed up in the porthole and looked out, and he yelled, 
'There come the Spanish ships,' and when he yelled that he dug out, 
and we followed him. And that's all I knows about it, sir," and Mr. 
Mason, martinet as he tried to be, although almost always unsuccess- 
fully, found himself suddenly summoned into his cabin for a few moments 
to look for a notebook or something, and when he emerged he dismissed 
the men with an exceedingly mild reprimand. 

WOUNDED MARINES REMAIN AT STATION DURING FIGHT 

Quite late in the action Captain Murphy found two of his men 
wounded. One of them. Private Flynn, had been hit in the back by a 
splinter, while the other, Private Barfield, had been hit in the leg with a 
flying piece of shell. He ordered them both to the hospital for examin- 
ation and treatment, but both of them pleaded so hard to stay, and 
insisted they were not hurt badly, that their request to serve their gun 
was complied with, and they remained at their stations during the entire 
action. 



CHAPTER XXIII 
SCHLErS STORT 

ADMIRAL SCHLEY'S own story of the fight is told in a most 
unassuming, modest, and yet intensely graphic and interesting 
manner. He takes no credit for himself, gives honor and glory to the 
captains and men under him, and is entirely free of the slightest touch 
of criticism or censure. The Admiral says : 

WE BOMBARDED THE FORTS 

On July 2d the manoeuvres of the American army on shore had 
been such as to cut off the movements of the Spanish to the westv/ard 
of the port. The former had very nearly closed in their circle around 
Santiago, and the Spanish v/ere beginning to abandon the hills to the 
west of the city, all the while closely followed up and harassed by the 
Cuban insurgents. These movements we interpreted fairly and prop- 
erly, and on the morning of July 2d we bombarded the forts again. I 
understood it to be a joint operation of army and navy forces, and after 
a couple of hours' bombardment, we withdrew. I do not recall that on 
this occasion the Spanish batteries fired upon us during our withdrawal, 
as they did during the two previous bombardments of the 6th and 

16th of luly. 

•' SIGNAL FIRES WERE OBSERVED 

We took up our usual blockading station, and toward evening cer- 
tain fires were observed on the hills toward the westward. I think that 

401 



402 SCHLETS STORY 

Mr. Graham of the Associated Press, who was with me, and I, counted 
six. They appeared to be signal fires. At the same time I noticed in 
the harbor a good deal of smoke coming up, going straight into the air, 
apparently over the hill of the Socapa. It looked to me very much as 
if the Spanish ships there were arranging themselves in order for a 
sortie, which seemed to be at that time one of the only things that 
probably could be done. I was so much impressed by this that 1 called 
the Vixen alongside and directed a message to be sent to the Com- 
mander-in-Chief that the movements in the harbor looked very suspicious 
to me. That message was answered, because we all moved into closer 
position that night. On the 26th of June I had telegraphed this same 
information and it was then followed by an order from Admiral Sampson 
to move in — as we all did move in — to a closer position at night. I am 
almost certain that the message was brought back on this latter occasion 
to move in a little closer, as we all did. 

THE HEAT WAS INSUPPORTABLE 

In connection with the same matter of suspicious smoke, I sent for 
Captain Cook, and he and I had quite a conversation in regard to the 
matter of coupling up engines. He knew his ship perfectly, and he 
was always a man of excellent judgment and of good command; so we 
agreed, after a consultation, that with all boilers we could make better 
speed than if we were to couple up and continue to use the whole force 
of the engines under reduced boiler power. Another circumstance 
which controlled this matter was the excessive heat in these regions. 
It was almost insupportable. The sun shining all day upon the steel 
hulls of our vessels converted them into stoves at night, so that I, and 
I think a number of the officers as well, rarely went below until after 
the land breeze came from the mountains and made it cooler. 

We concluded it would be better not to couple the engines. Cap- 




^'^. 



SCHLEY'S STORY 405 

tain Cook told me he could make eighteen and one-half knots, to which 
I replied, "If you can make eighteen and one-half knots you will prob- 
ably be able to make two or three more than the Spanish ships can, for 1 
am told that their bottoms are very foul." So I know that there was an 
apprehension in my own mind that if the fleet in the harbor should con- 
template coming out soon, we should be unprepared if caught in the act 
of coupling our engines, a process which required fully an hour, if not 
more, on account of the peculiar coupling. It was a sort of cone, and 
the engines had to be jacked around into exact position, and unless the 
holes were perfectly fair it was a difficult matter to couple. Whilst it 
was a very strong coupling, it was an inconvenient one for quick work. 
The result was that we concluded we would trust to the single engines 
and all boiler power, should that be necessary. 

WOULD HAVE EXHAUSTED THE ENGINEER FORCE 

Of course these tandem engines heated up would have made it 
almost insupportable. The forward engine room was largely used by 
the boiler force to pass into it, where it was cooler from the updraught, 
and if we had used it the probability is that we would have exhausted a 
good many of our engineer people, which was a very important con- 
sideration under the circumstances, and was a matter that had to be 

regarded. 

THE NEW YORK LEAVES FOR THE EASTWARD 

July 3d broke a perfectly beautiful day. The skies were flecked 
with white clouds and the breeze continued a little bit longer off the land 
that morning than usual-light, it is true. After I had gotten my break- 
fast I came up to take a survey of the situation— to look about and see 
what could be observed with the glasses. We were lying at that time 
possibly four miles from the land, and I remember having wondered very 
much why the Spanish had permitted us to remain so close, for we 



406 ^ SCHLEY'S STORY 

were constantly under their batteries, and it was a matter of inquiry and 
discussion aboard the ship why the guns did not fire on us. At a 
quarter of nine my orderly reported to me that a signal had been made 
from the flagship to disregard movements, and that she had gone 
eastward. 

I looked over the ground and situation. I did not, of course, know 
where she had gone. I sat under an awning that we usually had put 
into position each day as the sun rose, in order that the officers might 
collect there. I think we had also one forward for the men. 

THOUGHT HILL FIRES SUSPICIOUS 

Mr. Graham, Lieutenant Sears and I sat there discussing the smoke 
in the harbor, and Ensign McCauley was wig-wagging a few signals to 
"Jack" Philip, asking his views on the hill fires and the smoke, Philip 
responding that he thought them suspicious. Then the Chicago Record 
boat came along and Mr. Chamberlain, who was aboard her, called for 
news. I pointed to the flagship disappearing to the east and said to 
him: "Follow her up and you may get some," and he started after her. 

THE FLEET IS COMING OUT 

After having gone below for a little while I came back on deck with 
my glasses, and whilst I was sitting in this position, abaft on the hatch- 
way, I heard a call from the forward-bridge, "Tell the Commodore that 
the fleet is coming out." That was some time after the men had been 
called to quarters. How many minutes I don't remember, but in the 
vicinity of 9:35, according to our time. 

The Brooklyn at this moment was lying with her head in toward 
the land in the direction of Cabanas, which was a little cove to the west- 
ward and was one of the marking points that we used in maintaining 
our position. I looked over the starboard side and saw the enemy 



SCHLEY'S STORY 407 

coming out of the entrance, and realizing tinat there was very consider- 
able time, I looked eastward to see the order of the ships as they were 
arranged. I saw the Texas apparently, I should say, a point or more 
abaft the starboard beam. My own recollection now, as nearly as I can 
state it, is that the Brooklyn's head was pretty nearly north-northwest, 
she being drifted around. 

POSITIONS OF THE AMERICAN SHIPS 

The Texas appeared .to me to be headed on some one of the east- 
erly courses. I saw just ahead of her, to the left, the Iowa. She was, 
of course, to the eastward of the Texas. The Oregon was to the east- 
.ward of the Iowa. The Indiana was to the eastward of that position, 
and the Gloucester was lying in under the land, in the neighborhood of 
Aguadores. * . 

The New York was out of sight and out of signal distance with 
-• glasses. I looked at that in order to determine what my position in the 
action was to be. Of course if she had not been, I should not have 
given or made a signal. 

THEY ARE COMING RIGHT AT US 

In the meantime I had gone forward to a little platform that I had 
had constructed around the conning tower as my position in the battle, 
the position that I would take in order to be very close in with Captain 
Cook. I had only been there a moment or two when Captain Cook joined 
me. Mr. Hodgson, who was on the upper bridge, sang out something 
to the Captain about being connected up and all ready, and he at the 
same time said to me: "Commodore, they are coming right at us." 
"Well," I said, "go right for them." The helm was put aport. The ship 
was started ahead, first at half speed. She took her way very quickly, 
and when we headed around, of course, I said to Captain Cook, "Go 



408 SCHLEY'S STORY 

ahead; full speed," and hoisted the signal to clear ship for action. We 
generally made that signal because there was around the quarter-deck 
and the forecastle of most of these ships a little temporary railing, com- 
posed usually of oars and rope, to keep the people from getting over- 
board, and generally an awning of some sort or other. That was followed 
by "Close up," or "Close action." The Brooklyn, as well as the other 
vessels of the squadron, charged immediately in to the entrance, in 
accordance with the original plan of sinking them in the entrance or 
driving them ashore there. 

HEAD FOR THE EiNEMY 

We continued directly for the head of the enemy's column, the idea 
uppermost in my mind being that if we could arrest them long enough 
for the battleships to close in and knock them to pieces, that would be 
our best point of attack. We continued on this course, porting and star- 
boarding to meet the movements of the leading ship, which I assumed 
to be the flagship from a flag at her masthead, and I suppose from the 
start, as nearly as I can recall, we were ten to twelve minutes turning 
first with port helm and then advancing directly to the enemy. 1 saw 
the ships to the eastward and westward closing in. I said to Captain 
Cook: " 'Close action' or 'Close up' has been hoisted, and it means to 
keep outside of a thousand yards, so as to be out of their effective torpedo 
range. Much will depend on this ship this day." Captain Cook was 
standing alongside of me. He said: "Yes, we will soon be within the 
cross fire of these ships." I said: "Yes." We had advanced and were 
firing. The first gun was fired by Lieutenant Simpson, almost directly 
over the forecastle of the ship. I saw the leading ship, which apparently 
had started with the intention of ramming, take a rank sheer to the west- 
ward, leaving a gap between her and the ship following, which subse- 
quently proved to be the Viscaya. We were standing in the direction 
of the Viscaya, when she also, if she had been minded to ram, seemed 



^\-*. 




SCHLEY'S STORY 411 

to have given up the intention, and turned also to the westward, following 
the direction of the leading ship. 

THE FAMOUS CIRCLE OF THE BROOKLYN 

It then became apparent, as we were steering on a diametrically 
opposite course, that the original plan had failed, and that this Spanish 
fleet, in order, and apparently at distance, had succeeded in passing the 
battleship line. The new feature or phase of the fight became immedi- 
ately apparent, the first having failed. The disposition was to be made, 
then, that was to control the subsequent battle. Immediately Cook gave 
the order to port his helm. I did not. I should have done it in a second. 
I saw the ship's head swinging very rapidly, and I asked him whether 
his helm was hard aport. I think he said, "Hard aport." In making 
the turn I have never seen a ship turn more rapidly than she did, and 
her turn was absolutely continuous. There was no easing of her helm. 
I never saw the starboard side of the Texas at all. We were never 
across her bow. I only saw her port side, and she never approached 
any position that was within 600 yards of the Brooklyn. She was so 
distant that she never entered my head at all as a menace or danger. 
We passed completely around the circle. 

NEARNESS OF THE FIRST SPANISH SHIP 

The last range that was given was 1 , 1 00 yards, and a feature of 
the nearness of the first Spanish ship, which has impressed itself upon 
my mind, and will never be forgotten, was that I could see men running 
from her turret to her superstructure deck, and I observed the daylight 
between their legs as they ran. That I saw with my naked eye. 

We turned immediately about, and I was for a long time under the 
impression that the Brooklyn's starboard engine was backed, from the 
fact that I was standing upon the starboard side, and upon looking astern 



412 SCHLEY'S STORY 

I saw an unusual amount of churned water. It looked to me very muc'n 
as if that engine had been backing, and, though the matter was not one 
of record, as I found out subsequently, I had always been under the 
impression, or at least I was for some time, that that engine had backed. 

DISPOSES OF THE ALLEGED HODGSON COLLOQUY 

During the turn Mr. Hodgson very properly made some allusion to 
look out, perhaps, for the Texas. I do not recollect what it was; but 
there was never any colloquy of any character between Mr. Hodgson 
and myself. First, he was too good an officer to have transgressed one 
of the plainest duties of an officer at that time; and, second, if he had 
undertaken it I would not have permitted it for a second. As I say, 
that is fiction. There was no colloquy. 

THE SPANISH SHIPS CONCENTRATE FIRE ON BROOKLYN 

Before we turned, the leading ship was abeam, or a little abaft the 
beam. When we turned about she was ahead of us — that is, on the 
starboard bow — and all four ships and the forts were firing at the same 
time. I looked over and sav/ the forts firing. From that moment, for 
ten or fifteen minutes, was the most furious part of this entire combat. 
I remember seeing very distinctly from time to time, as my attention 
was attracted for the moment, the jets of water ahead and astern and 
over and short, and the roar of projectiles was one of the things that 
can only be heard once in a lifetime, and then never forgotten. It 
appeared to me at that moment that all four of these Spanish ships were 
at work upon the Brooklyn; and up to that moment, up to the moment 
of turning, so far as we could perceive, there was not the slightest evi- 
dence that they had even been injured. The thought passed through my 
mind that after all our precautions and waiting these fellows would get 
away. 



SCHLEY'S STORY 41;; 

At that moment I felt, and remarked to Captain Cook, that we were 
alone, and would perhaps have most of that fight upon ourselves, 
because I did not know then that the battleships could possibly keep 
up their speed, but I said to him: "We must stay with this crowd." 
I had no idea that we would escape. I thought, of course, that if they 
could shoot as well as our people did they would certainly get us and 
sink us, because they were protected battleships as big as the Texas, 
while the Brooklyn was a very large target, high out of the water and 
easy to hit. 

When we had got completely turned around on a westerly course, 
the ships of our squadron appeared to have become broken up a little, 
although still in some semblance of formation, and just at that moment 
I saw the Oregon, breaking in through the cloud envelope of smoke. 
She pushed through onto the starboard quarter of the flagship. 1 had 
hoisted the signal of "Close up," and "Follow the flag," feeling that a 
new disposition was necessary, and that signal was replied to by the 
Oregon and by her repeated, for Captain Clark knew very well it was 
not intended for him, because he was following the flag, and so he 
repeated it to the other ships. 

WONDERFUL GUN FIRE OF AMERICAN SHIPS 

In a very few moments after the appearance of the Oregon— she 
was at that time perhaps 400 or 500 yards distant-these two ships. 
the Brooklyn and the Oregon, were a sheet of flame. I never saw such 
a fire, and never realized what rapid gun fire really meant before, 
because at that time both ships were masses of flame. It was within 
a very few moments after this that I noticed that the leading Spanish 
ship was evidently badly hurt, for she lagged astern. I saw the smoke 
coming out of her ports, and immediately after from her hatches, and 
the fact that most impressed itself upon me was that the columns were 



414 SCHLEY'S STORY 

going up almost straight into the air. I said to Captain Cook, who was 
always at my side and in my confidence, "We have got one. Keep the 
boys below informed of all the movements. They can't see, and they 
want to know." And he did, throughout the action. Every few 
moments messages were sent below to the men, and were answered 
oftentimes by cheers that we could hear through the ventilators. 

THE OQUENDO ON FIRE GOES ASHORE 

It appeared to be a very short interval of time after that that I saw 
a second Spanish ship on fire, which proved later to be the Oquendo. 
She evidently had suffered very severely, and she started, of course, 
immediately inshore, leaving the Viscaya and the Colon. The Viscaya 
at once took a leading position on the bow, and I thought for a little 
while that perhaps she would outfoot us. The Colon worked inshore, 
and from the time of the disappearance, at least the dropping out of the 
action of the two leading ships, until the Viscaya turned inward was a 
period of perhaps thirty minutes, during which she was abreast of the 
Brooklyn and the Oregon. 

Just before the Maria Teresa and the Oquendo turned in, I looked 
to the eastward and got occasional glimpses of the Indiana and of the 
Gloucester. I could not see very well what they were doing, on account 
of the thick clouds of smoke, but I knew that both were doing admir- 
able work. 

FIRST THOUGHT TO TAKE CARE OF ALL SURVIVORS 

When 1 saw the two Spanish ships lower their flags and run for 
shore in much distress, I felt that the commanding officers of our 
squadron whose ships could not be kept up to the pace of the fight, 
would turn in to the wrecks and take care of all survivors, not only 
saving the Spanish prisoners from the terrible fires on their ships created 




m:^^f^. 



SCHLEY'S STORY 417 

by the American shells, but from the insurgents along the shore, who 
were waiting for any who might make their way through the surf. 

About thirty minutes had elapsed from the turning in or the wound- 
ing of the Maria Teresa and the Oquendo, until the Viscaya followed their 
example. The Viscaya was a little forward of the beam of the Brooklyn, 
and I do not think over 2,300 yards distant at any time. She was in 
the most excellent target range, and 1 remember on the way out inquiring 
of a man in the top (one of the marines), who was under this heavy fire 
of the two ships, and he reported that he did not see any of the shots 
hitting the water; so I imagine from that that he meant they were strik- 
ing the ship. 



19 



CHAPTER XXIV 
A WONDERFUL CHASE 

ADMIRAL SCHLEY continues his story as follows: 
On the trip outward, after the turn, I was very anxious about 
the ranges, because I did not want the Viscaya and the Colon to get out 
of good fighting range. Ellis, who was an expert man with the stadim- 
eter, constantly kept his instrument on these vessels; and knowing 
exactly their heights, he reported to me that they were maintaining the 
same range. I thought, however, that my eye was a little bit more 
sensitive, and I said to him, " No; they are evidently gaining." He went 
out from me the second time, and that was the last that I saw of him. 
In performing this magnificent duty he lost his life. 1 did not think he 
was distant from where I was standing over eight or ten feet. His 
brains and blood were thrown over a great many people and some of it 
reached me. He immediately fell to the deck, of course, and it was a 
shocking sight to men who had not before seen such things. Lieutenant 
McCauley and Dr. DeValin were standing between me and the tower, 
and they picked up his body and carried it to the side. I just happened 
to see them through this opening, and I called out to them: " No; do 
not throw that body overboard." I said to them that I thought one who 
had fallen so gallantly deserved to be buried as a Christian; and his 
body was laid under the lee of the forward turret and covered over with 
a blanket, and there kept until after the battle was over. 

just before the Viscaya turned to run ashore she put her helm astar- 
board, apparently starting out for the Brooklyn or the Oregon, 1 do not 

419 



420 A WONDERFUL CHASE 

know which. At that moment she evidently got a very severe wound, 
for I saw quite an explosion under her bow. A moment afterward she 
put her helm hard aport, turning inshore, with smoke coming from all of 
her hatches, and I thought she was going to capsize, as she had such a 
tremendous list to port. At that moment I saw a shell strike her, which 
appeared to me to rake her fore and aft, and I thought to myself that 
she would sink in deep water, so 1 told the signal officer to signal the 
Texas to look out for her men — her people — and save them. The 
Texas, however, was too far astern to receive the message, and 1 made 
the remark at the time: " Well, Philip is always sensible ; he needs no 
instructions about such things." 

THE BROOKLYN LOSES HER SIGNAL HALYARDS IN THE FIGHT 

In the tremendous part of the fight to the eastward all of the signal 
halyards of my ship were cut, with one exception. One of the speed 
cones, that we had hoisted in order to indicate speed, was cut and came 
very near striking me on the bridge. It came down in front of me and 
went overboard. 

THE COLON HAD EDGED INSHORE 

After the Viscaya had turned in, on fire, her colors down, the Colon 
had edged inshore, and appeared to be following the contour of the 
coast. I thought at that time, looking astern and having seen what had 
happened to her consorts, that she was looking for the best place she 
could find in order to end the matter at once. But from Asserredoros, 
which is a point some fifteen or sixteen miles west of the harbor of 
Santiago, to the Rio Tarquino is about thirty miles, perhaps, and 1 saw 
she was out of range. So I made the signal to cease firing and told 
Captain Cook to let his men come out of the turrets into the cooler air 
and get something to eat, and to hurry up his men below. 




m:m 



A WONDERFUL CHASE A'lW 

I think I went into the battle tower myself at that time and sang 
out to the men below that we had got all hands of them except one 
and that I thought they could be relied upon to catch that other vessel. 
I heard a good deal of merriment and rejoicing. I then went back 
again on the bridge and soon realized that they were doing their best. 
There was a jingle to the rails and a vibration of the vessel; but 1 per- 
ceived at that time that the motions of the ship were very sluggish. 
She was rolling in rather a heavy way, and I suggested to Captain Cook 
that possibly we had some compartments filled and he had better look 
out for that. He said he would send the carpenter down ; and it developed 
that one of the after compartments had filled with water, which we 
thought at the time was due to the fact that we had received some 
injury below the water line. The carpenter, as well as the captain.^ 
thought it unwise to attempt to examine the compartment until we could 
get into smoother water where we could possibly handle it much more 
readily. That, we decided to do. 

THE SPEED OF THE BROOKLYN INCREASES 

The ship's speed naturally came up with some rapidity. I think 
the Viscaya had run ashore in the neighborhood of eleven, and toward 
twelve o'clock it became very apparent that we were gaining upon the 
chase. I said to Captain Cook several times during the action that it 
would be a good idea to edge in a little closer, as we could ''finish 
these fellows quicker." He replied that we had them in the most 
excellent target range, and that the guns of the two ships seemed to be 
doing very admirable work. We were pointing at that time for Tarquino 
Point-not Cape Cruz; it was Tarquino Point, a point extending to the 
southward. My idea was in steering that course, if the Colon kept up 
her speed, she would be obliged to come out; and at that time I said to 
Captain Cook I would get up a lot of extra ammunition, "so that when 



424 A WONDERFUL CHASE 

we come into close quarters it will be a question of a very few minutes 
to knock her out." 

As we were going out, of course there were various signals 
between the Oregon and myself — some of a pleasant character and 
some official. I gave Clark the order to open fire with his thirteen-inch 
guns; and I had always been under the impression, until I heard him 
say otherwise, that that order had been transmitted. That was my 
recollection. 

TRYING THE THIRTEEN-INCH GUNS ON THE SPANIARD 

However, we continued to advance, the Oregon and the Brooklyn. 
I do not think the Oregon was ever farther astern than 800 yards, 
and at times she worked up on to our quarter. I do not believe the 
prolongation of her course at any time would have passed 500 yards 
inside of the Brooklyn. We were practically and relatively at the same 
distances. Perhaps the Brooklyn was a little nearer at times, and at 
times the Oregon a little nearer; but we continued in this position until 
about 12:50, when we realized that we were within range of the Colon, 
and we tried the thirteen and eight-inch guns on her. Several of the 
shots fell short, but I recollect a shot from one of the Oregon's thirteen- 
inch guns which passed entirely over the Colon, and one from one of 
the eight-inch guns of the Brooklyn that also passed over her. I saw 
with my own eyes the jet of water beyond, and thought it had gone 
through her ; but it appears that it did not strike her. 

I GAVE THE ORDER TO CEASE FIRING 

At that time, the position of the Colon being directly under the fire 
of the two American ships, there was apparently no question in the mind 
of her captain but that it would be fatal, and 1 think he did exactly right. 
The sacrifice of life would have been unnecessary. So he fired a gun 



A WONDERFUL CHASE Vi:, 

to leeward and hauled his flag down, running his ship onto a bar at the 
mouth of the Rio Tarquino. I signaled at once that the enemy had 
surrendered and gave the order to cease firing. We hauled up and 
immediately passed into a position about a thousand yards from the Colon. 
I -remember that just previous Captain Cook asked me if we should 
slow up, and 1 replied, "No, continue in; you look out for the boat, and 
I will take the navigator and the first lieutenant, here, and we will con- 
trol her otherwise." The boat referred to was the one desired to be 
used in going over to the Colon, and we had considerable difficulty in 
getting her launched, for the steam had been turned off, and also the 
cranes had been struck a number of times, and we were more or less 
jammed. 

Captain Cook went to give orders about the boat and to change 
his coat, as we were all in fighting rig, and it was certainly 1:30 when 
we arrived in the vicinity of the Colon. She was about four miles away 
from us when she had hauled down her flag, and as we were running 
then in the neighborhood of fifteen knots, the time elapsed would have 
been perhaps twelve or fourteen minutes, so 1 think from 1:15 to 1:30 
was about the interval of time. 

UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER 

When this surrender took place, 1 naturally felt interested in the 
vessels that were following, and l.was then on the bridge, and with my 
glasses I saw three vessels astern. 1 could see the masts of two. but 
only the smoke of the third one. We lowered our boat at that time and 
Captain Cook went aboard. He said to me: "Commodore, what are 
the terms of surrender?" I replied, "Unconditional. These are matters 
that the Commander-in-Chief must arrange. We can only receive 

unconditional surrender." 

At about twenty-three minutes after two o'clock the New York 



426 A WONDERFUL CHASE 

came up. We had distinguished her, and I had made signals to her. 
Of course there was not very much breeze in under the land to set the 
flags out, and she was quite a half hour in answering us. 

When she came up I also made the signal to her that it was a 
glorious day for our country, and as soon as I could pay my respects, 
I went on board. 

COMMODORE SCHLEY REPORTS BATTLE TO SAMPSON 

In the meantime, Captain Cook, who had been detained some little 
time on board the Colon, started off to make his report and, boarding 
the New York, did so. When he returned I took the boat and went on 
board the flagship myself. There I reported substantially what had 
occurred, narrating the incidents and features of the battle in a hurried 
way. After having made this statement to the Commander-in-Chief, a 
group of the officers, who were standing on the opposite side, came up 
to me and asked me about the details of the battle, everybody, of course, 
being interested in them, and I again rehearsed them in a hasty manner. 

Just then, the chaplain of the New York, Chaplain Royce, came up 
to me and said, "Commodore, your work is not over yet. The Resolute 
has just arrived and Captain Eaton reports that there is a Spanish battle- 
ship on the coast, and the Admiral wants to see you." 

ORDERED TO TAKE OREGON AND MEET STRANGE SHIP 

I went over and there I found Captain Clark in the presence of the 
Commander-in-Chief. I made some suggestion to the latter about hoist- 
ing the flag on the Colon, and said to him that if he had not come I was 
prepared to have sent a force of fifty or sixty men, mechanics and 
marines, on board to take possession, to avoid anything like "monkey- 
ing" with her. My impression is that 1 used those words. I said that, 



A WONDERFUL CHASE 429 

because in approaching her I saw a number of what afterward proved 
to be breechblocks that were being thrown overboard, and I thought that 
there might be some possibility of the Spanish injuring her piping below, 
flooding her, and so on, and that was the occasion of the suggestion. 
But as soon as he stated that he wished me to taice the Oregon and go 
eastward and meet this ship, I must say that I felt some little delight, 
because I thought that after the admirable work of the squadron on that 
day, and the part the Oregon and the Brooklyn had in it, there was not 
anything that carried the Spanish colors that we should have hesitated 
to meet. So immediately I started for my own ship, stopping on the way. 
I think, to get the chaplain of the Texas in order to bury our man who 
had been killed, and from there I went on board the Brooklyn and made 
signal to the Oregon to follow the flag, and started eastward at pretty 
high speed. After I had been gone some little time 1 saw that the 
Oregon did not follow, and I naturally assumed that the Commander- 
in-Chief had detained her for other work which he needed done. 

After I had gotten about an hour away, perhaps a little less, 1 saw 
coming from the eastward what afterward proved to be the Vixen, with 
the flag lieutenant, Lieutenant Staunton, on board. He came up 
alongside of and hailed me, saying that the smoke which I saw on the 
eastern horizon was that of the Pelayo; that he had gone close enough 
to distinguish her and make out her colors, and that he was sure it was 
the Pelayo. 

TROUBLE IN MAKING OUT COLORS 

I told him to go west and inform the Commander-in-Chief, and 
stated that the Brooklyn would go east and meet the Pelayo. As we 
approached what was supposed to be the Pelayo, 1 must confess that 1 
was a good deal confused in attempting to distinguish the difference in 
the two colors. She had both at her mastheads, and that only 
impressed me with the idea that she was cleared and in battle array— 



430 A WONDERFUL CHASE 

the difference in tlie color being red, wtiite and red for the Austrian flag, 
and red, yellow and red for the Spanish flag, in horizontal stripes. 

THE AUSTRIAN SHIP MAKES SIGNAL 

We kept our battery trained upon the ship, and had reached a 
position of about 1 ,800 yards, and I had lust given the order to Captain 
Cook to stand by. Perceiving, however, that we were a little too close 
inshore to manoeuvre and that our starboard battery was almost entirely 
disabled, I ported the helm to get a little more room and to engage her 
with the port side, the battery of which was complete and entire. As I 
ported the helm she did the same, and that only convinced me that 
there was no question that she was looking for us or knew that we were 
looking for her. In a few moments my signal officer. Lieutenant 
McCauley, called to me: "She is making a signal." 

It was then toward dusk, and she had turned her searchlights up 
onto her flags, in order to call our attention to them, which, of course, 
confused us; and that signal, by the code, was interpreted to mean that 
she was an Austrian. Of course we immediately trained our guns off 
of her and passing under her stern, stopped. Her commanding officer 
came on board. He was looking for some one to give him authority 
to go into Santiago de Cuba for the purpose of carrying away refugees 
and other persons who would desire to leave the port before the opera- 
tions of the army were entirely completed. 1 said to him that I did not 
believe that he would be permitted to go into the harbor; that it was 
mined, and that I did not think his wish would be granted. I advised 
him to keep outside of the line of the blockade that night, inasmuch as, 
not having the night letter, he might be mistaken and fired into. 

It proved that this ship was the Infanta Maria Teresa, of the 
Austrian Navy, a turreted ship— not a barbette ship, as the Pelayo was. 
We had pictures of these various ships about the Brooklyn and the men 



A WONDERFUL CHASE \\\\ 

were quite familiar with the appearance of almost all the Spanish 
vessels, so that they could be easily recognized. I remember my 
attention was called to the fact, as soon as we could distinguish her 
turrets, that she was not the Pelayo at all, but that she was either the 
Carlos V. or the Cardinal Cisneros. When we had, after first sighting 
her, thus settled her identity, we, of course, felt a great deal relieved, 
because most of us then considered that the fight would be quicker and 
easier with a vessel nearer the type of the Brooklyn ; but, fortunately, 
we did not have to meet her. With the surrender of the Colon the 
battle had ended, and there were no further operations. 

BROOKLYN RETURNS TO STATION OFF SANTIAGO 

We returned to the squadron that night. The Commander-in-Chief 
signaled to me before 1 left that he would remain and transfer the crew 
from the Colon to the vessels there, so 1 went on to the eastward, 
feeling that under the circumstances the proper position of the second 
in command would be off Santiago. To that place the Brooklyn went, 
reaching the squadron off the harbor between eleven and twelve o'clock, 
nearly midnight. As we were passing down the coast, at about half 
past ten, just as we were abreast of the Viscaya, one of her magazines 
exploded, and we said as we watched the flames in the darkness, 
"That is her final salute." 

INFORMS SHIPS OF DESTRUCTION OF COLON 

As we approached the Indiana all those aboard her were very 
anxious to know what had become of the Colon. 1 announced her 
surrender, and that we had captured her, and there was great cheering. 
As I passed on, Captain Evans hailed me and said that Admiral Cervera 
was aboard the Iowa and would like very much to see me. I went over 
to see him, di -ecting my men while on the way that there was to be no 



482 A WONDERFUL CHASE 

cheering, as I did not thiink: it would be proper to exult over a foe who 
had fought and behaved so gallantly, and that all such demonstrations 
should be omitted, which was done. 

SCHLEY'S BEAUTIFUL CONDUCT TOWARD SPANISH ADMIRAL 

I found Admiral Cervera on the after part of the ship, and he was, 
quite naturally, greatly dejected. I said to him that I knew he had lost 
everything — his clothing, as well as his money — and that I wanted to 
say that the object of my visit was to inform him that my wardrobe, as 
well as my purse as far as that would go, was at his service. He replied 
that he thanked me very much, and said that he had never met a sailor 
who was not a gentleman; that he was very much obliged, but that all 
he cared for was to send a dispatch to his government, or to the captain- 
general, announcing what had happened to his squadron. I told him 
that there would be no objection whatever to that; and the dispatch 
which he sent practically announced the destruction of the Spanish 
squadron, and what he had done. I informed him of the fate of the 
Colon, and that telegram was sent to the captain-general. 

The one fact that impressed me most strongly during the day's 
battle was that the officers and the men who were engaged in that strug- 
gle fulfilled in the very highest and in the very noblest degree the tradi- 
tions of the American Navy. 





vi^j^i 



^ 7 ",*w 



CHAPTER XXV 
THE SPANISH SHIPS 

AND the Spanish ships. Four hours from the time they emerged 
from that narrow harbor entrance in their shining dress of black 
paint, the golden coat-of-arms of Spain on their prows, and their silken 
flags standing out proudly in the breeze, they lay shattered, twisted, 
useless hulks, stranded on the coast of Cuba. But grewsome as were 
their decks with mangled and mutilated men, appalling as was their 
terrible destruction, they were magnificent examples of the American 
gunner's art. Protected in the majority of cases by eleven inches of 
steel, they had been literally riddled with shot; and then, as the shells 
had exploded on their decks and set fire to their magazines, they had, 
by internal explosions, completed their own destruction. 

THE FLAGSHIP MARIA TERESA TERRIBLY DAMAGED 

The Maria Teresa had been the first to go ashore. She had been 
flying the broad pennant of Admiral Cervera, and when she came out 
was prepared, under his orders, to make a sacrifice of herself in order 
to let, If possible, the Colon and the Viscaya escape. She was a mag- 
nificent ship of the same type as the Oquendo and the Viscaya. and in 
armor and armament she was fully equal to our battleship Texas, 
although she was called a cruiser. She had turned the mouth of the 
harbor and started for the west, before she was hurt very badly. But 
then, as told by one of her own officers, it seemed as if every shell from 

435 



4;](j 



THE SPANISH SHIPS 




View of Brooklyn Showing Hits 




View of Viscaya Showing Hits 




View of Oquendo Showing Hits 




View of Infanta Maria Teresa Showing Hits 




View of Colon Showing Hits 



I 



THE SPANISH SHIPS .1:>,T 

the American squadron took effect upon her instantaneously. A blaze 
rose aft, and the sailors were ordered to turn a hose upon it ; but to 
their dismay, a shell had cut the fire mains, and almost at the same 
moment Captain Concas, who was near Admiral Cervera's side, and one 
of his lieutenants, were severely wounded. Admiral Cervera was then 
compelled to take charge both of the ship and the fleet. While heroic 
efforts were being made to stop the progress of the flames aft, a shell 
entered the cabin of Admiral Cervera and set that on fire. Orders were 
given to flood the magazines, but even the pipes leading to these had 
been cut, and it then became a question of running for shore, so that 
those of the men who were still alive could escape from incineration, 
or from the ship being sunk by her own explosions. 

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ON THE SPANISH FLAGSHIP 

The havoc among the men was frightful. The chief boatswain 
fell on the deck near where Captain Concas was lying, and when he 
was picked up was found to have fourteen wounds. Six men working 
at a secondary battery gun were torn into such fragments that they 
were unrecognizable. A gun crew forward was blown completely off 
into the water, and everywhere the decks were running with blood. As 
soon as the ship was beached, orders were given for every man to jump 
overboard and take care of himself. It was impossible for the men to 
go below and get any clothes, and indeed those who had clothes— includ- 
ing Admiral Cervera and his son— had thrown off everything except 
their under-garments, so that they might swim through the surf more 
easily. Men who were too badly wounded to help themselves were 
shoved overboard, and then, in many instances, assisted to the shore 
by their comrades who were uninjured and in the water. The ship was 
burning fiercely and many of the men who had been at the engines and 
boilers were consumed in its hellish bowels. About three hundred of 



438 THE SPANISH SHIPS 

the crew, however, managed to reach the shore, among them Admiral 
Cervera and his son, and the wounded Captain Concas. But of these 
many were wounded most grievously, and died while waiting for Ameri- 
can relief. 

THE OQUENDO ALSO HAS A TERRIBLE BAPTISM OF FIRE 

But if the Maria Teresa had had a terrible baptism of fire the 
Oquendo had fared still worse. She was the third ship out, and by the 
time she was ready to turn from the entrance she was in close combat 
with the Indiana, the Iowa, the Oregon, and the Texas, with the Brook- 
lyn occasionally giving her a single shot. Her immense steel plates 
were bulging apart before she had turned ashore; there were gaping 
holes in her sides; her bridge was partially shot away, and half of her 
crew, probably two hundred and fifty, were killed and wounded. On 
her, too, the explosive shells had done their deadly work. Her fire 
mains were cut ; her forward eleven-inch turret was out of action, with 
all its men dead inside, and she was devoid of officers. In the upper 
works the American rapid-fire guns had created horrible mortality. 
Before the Oquendo had been out fifteen minutes every man in her 
superstructure was dead or wounded, or, impelled by excitement and 
fear, was plunging overboard. Captain Larzaza was killed in the first 
seven minutes of action ; his executive officer Lola had hardly shouted 
his second order before a shell cut him in two. The third officer Matos 
took charge, and an explosion of their own ammunition by the concus- 
sion of one of our big shells, blew him in pieces. Successively, within 
a period of ten minutes, the next three officers in rank took charge of 
the ship, but as fast as they took their positions on the bridge, the rapid- 
fire guns from the American fleet mowed them down. Within thirty 
minutes the seven principal officers had been killed, and over one 
hundred and thirty dead bodies strewed the deck and superstructure, in 



THE SPANISH SHIPS .}} 1 

addition to the wounded who lay mutilated and moaning at the breech 
of almost every gun. The forward eleven-inch turret had only fired 
three shots in the action, and just before the captain was shot down on 
the bridge, he had sent a messenger to inquire the reason for the gun's 
silence. In the turret lay the bodies of six dead men, with barely a 
mark on them to show how they had been killed, while up in the little 
conning tower or hood from which the gun was sighted, was a headless 
officer. His head was not in the turret. It had been cut off and had 
rolled out through the opening and onto the deck, by a most peculiar 
accident. An eight-inch shell had struck the turret at the point where 
the gun projects. It had been fired at a long distance, presumably from 
the Brooklyn, and was lacking in sufficient force to penetrate the ten 
inches of steel. It had exploded, however, the concussion killing all 
the gunners inside, and the fire from the explosion entering the turret. 
The men had started to load the gun and the huge mass of three 
hundred and fifty pounds of powder, which is consumed in firing an 
eleven-inch gun once, was just about to be placed in the breech. The 
powder ignited and blazed up, creating a great amount of gas. With a 
rush, this gas forced its way up into the opening of the little tower 
where the officer was sitting, pinning him to the side, and tearing off his 
head as it rushed through the orifice into the outer air. 

TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER ON THE OQUENDO 

When the ship finally ran ashore, so badly had the great shells cut 
up her hull, that she almost broke in two. The fire was raging so fiercely 
upon her that the men did as had those upon the Maria Teresa, jumped 
overboard. A great many of them reached the shore; some of them 
were dashed to pieces upon the coral reefs, and a number of others, who 
presumably could not swim, hung by chains in the water near the 
Oquendo's head, almost dead from heat and fear, until rescued by Ameri- 
can ships. 

20 



442 THE SPANISH SHIPS 

In the meantime, the Gloucester, which had sunk one torpedo boat 
and sent the other ashore, immediately converted herself from a fighting 
ship into a life-saving vessel, and at once began the rescuing of such of 
the torpedo boats' crews as were still alive when they surrendered. 
From the torpedo boat which ran ashore, some few officers and men 
managed to escape and join the Spanish forces in Santiago city. In all, 
about twenty or twenty-five men succeeded in escaping this way, and 
these were the only ones of the entire number of nearly two thousand 
in the fight that day, who managed to get away. 

VISCAYA RIDDLED BY SHELLS FROM BROOKLYN AND OREGON 

The Viscaya, which made a longer fight than her two sister ships 
and ran about twenty miles from the entrance, while horribly cut up by 
the shells of the Oregon and Brooklyn, would have remained fighting 
for some time had not a five-inch shell from the Brooklyn penetrated 
her bow, exploding a torpedo in her tubes, and blowing out the whole 
starboard side of the unprotected compartment forward. This was so 
near to the sea line that she took water In, the result being that she 
listed heavily to starboard, and abandoning her intention of ramming the 
Brooklyn, ran for the shore. Captain Eulate was wounded, but he still 
managed to retain command, and only a few minutes before, at the 
point of his pistol, had driven a number of his engineers and firemen, who 
attempted to leave their positions, back to their quarters below. In fact, 
it is related, although I have no proof of the absolute truth of the state- 
ment, that a young officer, who attempted to haul down the flag, think- 
ing it was time to surrender, was shot dead in his tracks by this same 
Eulate, and no further attempt was made to lower the colors. The 
mortality on this ship was not so great as on the Oquendo, although 
greater than on the Maria Teresa. But even here it was horrible to 
behold. Several of the guns of her secondary battery were dismounted 



THE SPANISH SHIPS 44:{ 

and lay overturned among a mass of shriveling human flesh. Fire was 
consuming the decks, and those who were badly wounded were shriek- 
ing for assistance to get away from its terrible grasp. Many crawled 
to the side and rolled overboard, and as we fought her we saw men 
jumping or tumbling down her sides. When she turned in to shore, the 
Iowa, which was about four miles astern of her, quickly followed her up, 
and lucky for the Spaniard's people she did, for the Cuban insurgents 
ashore began to open fire immediately upon the poor wretches, who, 
having escaped death by shot and shell, or drowning or mutilation by 
the surf, had succeeded in reaching the shore safely. The Iowa 
promptly sent a boat in, warning the Cubans to stop, under penalty of 
being fired upon themselves by the rapid-fire guns of the American 
ship. The Iowa remained here instead of continuing in the chase, and 
with the aid of the Hist and the Ericsson succeeded in rescuing over 
two hundred of the Viscaya's crew. The Iowa then left and proceeded 
to the eastward, taking on board as she went down toward Santiago, 
Admiral Cervera and his son. It is stated that when Captain Eulate 
was brought aboard the Iowa, he offered his sword in surrender to 
Captain Evans, but that that officer gallantly refused to receive it, 
merely taking Eulate's parole. 

MUTINY ON COLON QUELLED BY OFFICERS 

The Colon, which had run to the west and which managed to go a 
distance of forty-five miles before she was beached, suffered very little 
loss of life, in fact none from our gunnery, and the ship itself was but 
little damaged, a couple of five-inch shells from the Brooklyn having 
penetrated her superstructure. Her officers, however, had had severe 
fighting with their own men. They had given them an extra comple- 
ment of liquor before they had left the harbor, and had divided up the 
money from the paymaster's safe, the result being that after the ship 



444 THE SPANISH SHIPS 

had once gotten out of the harbor, a number of the men refused to 
work at the fires and boilers. Several of the officers quelled the 
mutiny by shooting some of the men dead, and when the ship 
surrendered six bodies were found lying on the deck near the super- 
structure, with pistol bullet holes in them. That the officers on the 
Colon expected eventually to be captured after witnessing the destruc- 
tion of the remainder of their fleet is evidenced from the fact that they 
had their trunks packed ready to be taken off, and that in the boat load 
of officers which we brought over to the Brooklyn, one officer had 
strapped together all of the Colon's log books. I had the honor of 
taking these away from him and turning them over to Admiral Schley. 

GREAT DAMAGE DONE BY THE AMERICAN FIRE 

Just exactly, by professional account, what great damage was done 
by the American fire is best evidenced by the report of a Board of 
Examination appointed by Rear- Admiral Sampson. This Board's report 
showed that the number of big hits — that is, of four-inch calibre and 
upward — which were to be seen after the fire and explosion on the ships, 
was forty. Of these forty, twenty were made by five-inch shells, and 
the Brooklyn was the only ship in the squadron carrying five-inch guns. 
Every one of the Spanish ships showed hits from these five-inch project- 
iles. Eight hits were made by the four-inch guns of the Iowa, the only 
ship carrying four-inch guns. This, of course, indicates that the Brook- 
lyn made as many large hits on the Spanish ships as all the other ships 
combined. Ten hits were made by eight-inch guns carried by the 
Brooklyn, Iowa, Oregon, and Indiana. Two hits were made by twelve- 
inch projectiles fired only by the Texas and the Iowa, while of course it 
is generally conceded that the Oregon scared the Colon ashore by firing 
a thirteen-inch shell over her. 

The record of the damages to these ships is a world record, and is 



W^''>S 




THE SPA NISH SHIPS 4 1 7 

fraught with great interest. The fight started at a range of 6,000 yards, 
or about three miles, while at 2,000 or 2,500 yards two torpedo boats 
and two cruisers were smashed. The closest fighting was done at 
1,100 and 1,000 yards, by the Brooklyn and Viscaya, with annihi- 
lating effect on the Spanish ship. But two projectiles larger than eight- 
inch struck a vessel, both of these either twelve or thirteen-inch, being 
put through the Infanta Maria Teresa. The eight-inch, six-inch, five-inch 
and six-pounders did the bulk of the work, and were frightfully destruc- 
tive. 

Some idea of the effect can be obtained from a brief summary of 
the injuries to each ship as found by the Examining Board. The Board 
had upon it such capable men as Executive-Officer Rogers, of the Iowa; 
Executive-Officer Mason, of the Brooklyn, an expert on the effect of 
shells on armor; Lieutenant Haessler, of the Texas, who had made some 
splendid improvements in gun firing on that ship, and Assistant Naval- 
Constructor Hobson, of Merrimac fame, who had a reputation for 
knowledge of ship construction. Briefly, these officers found : — 

THE CRISTOBAL COLON RECEIVED BUT LITTLE DAMAGE 

• Cristobal Colon, battleship, first-class, with six inches of steel for 
protection not only on the water line but around the six-inch guns. This 
ship was hit with large projectiles but six times, as she kept out of range 
nearly the whole time, passing behind the other ships for protection and 
finally making a run for it. The hits were made by the Brooklyn and 
Oregon. One eight-inch shell went into the port side of the ward room, 
and left on the starboard side without exploding, but cleaned out every- 
thing in the room. A five-inch shell hit just above the armor belt, and 
a five-inch shell struck her on the bow. None of the injuries was suffi- 
cient to put her out of action, and they were not as serious as those 
received by the Brooklyn, at one time her sole antagonist. The state- 



448 THE SPANISH SHIPS 

ment that the Brooklyn was overhauling her, and that the Oregon's 
terrific thirteen-inch guns were shooting nearer and nearer, and that 
escape was Impossible, seems to explain her surrender. 

THE VISCAYA TERRIBLY BATTERED BY THE AMERICANS 

The Viscaya, armored cruiser of same class as battleships Texas 
and Maine, two eleven and one-half inch guns and ten five and one-half 
inch guns, with protections ten and twelve inches thick, double and 
treble that of the Brooklyn. This ship was the special prey of the 
Brooklyn and the Oregon, although the Iowa, after her destructive work 
on the Oquendo and Teresa, aided a little at long range. The Viscaya, 
exclusive of one-pounders and rapid-fire hits, which swept her deck, was 
hit with large projectiles fourteen times and six-pounders eleven times. 
The eight-inch guns of the Brooklyn and Oregon, and five-inch on the 
Brooklyn, tore her structure above the armor belt almost into shreds, 
while the six-pounders and one-pounders made it too warm for the men 
to stand at the guns. The Texas got in a few six-inch shots, and the 
Iowa landed a couple of four-inch shells. No thirteen or twelve-inch 
shells struck her. 

THE SPANISH FLAGSHIP BADLY PUNISHED 

The Infanta Maria Teresa, the flagship, of the same build as the 
Viscaya, was badly punished, and was the only one of the four ships hit 
by twelve or thirteen-inch projectiles. Two of that size went into her, 
and the position of one would tend to demonstrate that it was fired by 
the Texas, the other being from the Indiana, Oregon or Iowa. An eight- 
inch shell, undoubtedly from the Brooklyn, because she was the only 
ship in line with the Maria Teresa's head as she turned west, entered 
just forward of the beam on the port side, and exploding inside, cleaned 
out the deck with four gun crews. This is the shot that Cervera said 



THH sr.i.y/s// s/fips n-, 

came from the Brooklyn and set fire to the ship. The Teresa's great 
difficulty and one that compelled her hurried surrender was that all her 
fire mains were cut and she was unable to extinguish the fires that were 
driving her men from the guns. 

OQUENDO RECEIVED THE WORST BAPTISM OF FIRE 

The Almirante Oquendo, armored cruiser, same class as the 
Viscaya and the Teresa, went through the most terrible baptism of fire 
of any of the ships except the torpedo boats. Her upper works were 
one ragged mass of cut-up steel, and her decks were covered with dead 
and dying. She was hit on the port side four times by eight-inch shells, 
three times by four-inch shells, twice by six-inch, and forty-two times by 
six-pounders. The wounds made by one-pounders show that she met 
the fire of the entire fleet. 

One of the findings of the Board of Survey was that an eight- inch 
shell had struck the forward turret just where the gun opening was, and 
that every man in the turret was killed, the officer standing in the firing 
hood being still in that position. Another fact learned was that the 
torpedoes in some of the ships were already loaded in the tubes and 
prepared to fire. 

SECONDARY BATTERY OF BROOKLYN DID TERRIBLE DAMAGE 

"The secondary battery fire of the Brooklyn was really terrible. It 
drove my men from their guns, and when you were at close range did 
frightful work," said Captain Eulate, two days after Schley's defeat of 
the Spanish squadron; and a rescued officer of the Oquendo said that 
nearly one-half of the terrible damage to that ship was done by our one 
and six-pounders, which constitute the secondary battery. 

The injuries, so far as the American fleet was concerned, received 
during the fight were mainly confined to the Brooklyn. It was on this 



450 THE SPANISH SHIPS 

ship that one man was killed and several wounded, and the ship itself 
was hit twenty-six times directly by projectiles. The Texas was struck 
three times by small shells, doing no particular damage. The Indiana 
was struck twice by six-pounders and not hurt, while the Iowa was 
struck by two large projectiles and three of smaller calibre. 



I 




^vV^y^j^ 



CHAPTER XXVI 
VICTOR AND VAN^ISHED 

WHEN, following the chase of the Austrian cruiser, Commodore 
Schley returned with the Brooklyn to Santiago entrance, the 
night of July 3d, it was midnight. Passing the Indiana as we moved 
down to our position, there came a hail through the megaphone: 

THE BROOKLYN GIVES THE NEWS OF DESTRUCTION OF THE COLON 

"Brooklyn, there, what's become of the Cristobal Colon?" There 
went back the answer: "She's ashore; forty miles to the west." And 
from the deck of the big battleship there arose a mighty cheer. 

Then the Massachusetts, which had been cheated out of her share 
in the battle by being sent to coal that morning, asked the same ques- 
tion, and on that ship also the sailors who had not taken part in the fight 
and who were waiting up for news, joined in the enthusiastic and noisy 
welcome. 

CERVERA AND OFFICERS PRISONERS ON BOARD THE IOWA 

As we neared the Iowa there came a similar hail, which we 
answered in the same manner. Much to our surprise, there was not a 
cheer. We were a little puzzled for a few minutes, when suddenly 
there came a megaphone call from an officer on the Iowa, saying: 
"Admiral Cervera is aboard this ship." and then we understood that the 
chivalry of officers and men aboard her had prompted them to keep 

453 



454 VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 

silence. Commodore Schley, as soon as possible, took a boat, and in 

the absence of Admiral Sampson, went over to the Iowa. When he 

arrived there he found Admiral Cervera chatting with Captain Eulate, 

who was also a prisoner aboard. The vanquished Admiral was dressed 

in a suit of clothes which had been given him on board the Gloucester, 

and which consisted of a pair of blue trousers, a black alpaca coat, a 

civilian shirt and a white straw hat. He had been very busy all the 

afternoon and evening going about among the wounded asking their 

condition and endeavoring to cheer them up, at the same time thanking 

them for the gallant assistance they had rendered Spain that day. He 

had also assisted in the burial of five or six who had died since being 

brought aboard. 

SCHLEY AND CERVERA MEET 

As Commodore Schley entered the cabin of the Iowa he stepped 
forward briskly toward Cervera, and the Spanish Admiral rose from his 
chair to receive him. The two men grasped hands, and it is hard to say 
which of the two was the more affected. But, before Schley could speak 
further than to give a salutation of "How do you do, Admiral," the 
defeated officer said: "If we could have passed the Brooklyn I believe 
we could have gotten away. My orders to concentrate and fire on the 
Brooklyn were carried out, but your ship had a charmed life, sir. My 
career is ended. I shall go back to Spain in disgrace." 

This was said by Admiral Cervera in French, the international 
naval language; but Schley, putting his hand upon Cervera's shoulder, 
said in the purest Castilian: "No, Admiral, you are a brave man. Your 
country will honor you as it should." 

ADMIRAL CERVERA IN TEARS 

I don't think it was the sentiment expressed as much as it was the 
surprise at the pure Spanish spoken, but Cervera's eyes filled with tears 



VICTOR AND VANQUISH HP 45.") 

for a moment, and then the two men went on talking in Spanish, the 
lighting up of their faces showing they were both forgetting the terrible 
strain of the day, the one his defeat and the other his victory, in their 
exchange of personal compliments. 

CERVERA REPORTS LOSS OF FLEET 

Before Commodore Schley left the Iowa to go back on board the 
Brooklyn, Admiral Cervera asked permission to send a dispatch to his 
government announcing his defeat. Here is the telegram which he 
wrote and which Commodore Schley had forwarded for him : 

Playa Del Este (Santiago). 
I went out with the ships at 9:30 and sustained a very hot battle 
with the enemy. The defense was brilliant, but it was impossible to 
fight against the hostile forces, which were three times as large as ours. 
The Maria Teresa, Oquendo, and Viscaya, all with fire on board, ran 
ashore and were then blown up. The destroyers Pluton and Furor 
were sunk by shots from the hostile guns. The Colon, the Americans 
say, surrendered after running aground. I estimate our losses at 600 
killed and wounded. The rest of the crews have been taken prisoners. 
Villaamil was killed in the battle; I believe also Lazaga. Among the 
wounded are Concas and Eulate. The Americans have allowed the 
latter to retain his sword because of his brilliant conduct. I must state 
that the American sailors are treating us with all possible consideration. 

Cervera. 

The next day, July 4th, was spent very quietly by the fleet in front 
of the harbor, except that at noon the national salute was fired, to which 
foreign vessels in the vicinity responded, with the exception of a German 
who paid no attention to us. The Brooklyn proceeded to Guantanamo. 
and arriving at that bay we obtained the services of the chaplain of the 
Texas and buried young Ellis. He was wrapped in his country's flag 
and placed in a very respectable looking casket manufactured aboard 
the Brooklyn, Followed by a squad of marines and a detail of sailors, 
the body was taken ashore. Nearly all the officers of the Brooklyn who 



456 VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 

could be spared from duty, and several officers from other ships lying in 
the harbor, reverently attended the burial of the only man who had been 
killed on the American side in this wonderful contest. A grave was dug 
near where the marines were buried who had been killed early in June 
when the first landing was made in Cuba, and here on the nation's birth- 
day Ellis was buried, the body there to remain until such time as it 
could be taken to his native heath. 

SCHLEY VISITS CERVERA 

On the following day Commodore Schley paid a lengthy visit to 
Admiral Cervera on board the St. Louis, which was then preparing to 
take the Spanish captives up to Annapolis and Portsmouth. For over 
an hour these two gray-headed men, the victor and the vanquished, sat 
side by side and chatted of sunny Spain, of America, which Cervera had 
seen very little of, of their various cruises and their varied experiences. 

CAPTAIN EULATE REFUSED TO GIVE PAROLE 

Captain Eulate had by this time begun to show a great deal of feeling 
in the matter and had practically refused to give any parole. A marine 
guard was therefore ordered to watch him and see that he made no 
attempt to escape. Lieutenant of Marines Thomas S. Borden, of the 
Brooklyn, was in charge of this detail and took such good care of the 
wounded officer that he at last consented to give a brief description of 
his manoeuvres. Captain Eulate said to Mr. Borden: 

"The entire squadron was ordered to devote the fire of the guns to 
the cruiser Brooklyn, because it was believed that she was the only ship 
in the American squadron that could overtake us. 

"When we got out of the harbor my ship was second in line, and I 
saw immediately that the flagship Maria Teresa was getting a terrible 
baptism of fire. It was frightful. The Texas and the Brooklyn were 



VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 45'.» 

riddling lier, and in fifteen minutes I saw she was on fire. The Iowa 
and Oregon were firing on the Oquendo, but as yet I had not been badly 
hit. 

"The Brooklyn was a half mile closer to us than any other ship, 
and I determined to try and ram her so that the Colon and Oquendo 
could get away, and I started for her. She was a good mark with her 
big broadsides, and as I started I thought surely I would get her, but she 
had evidently seen us and very quickly turned about and, making a short 
circle, came at our port side so that 1 thought she would ram us. 1 
moved in toward the shore so that 1 could avoid her,' and then I saw that 
the Oquendo had gone ashore also, her steam pipes evidently having been 
severed by a shell. 

THE BROOKLYN DROVE THE VISCAYA ASHORE 

" The manoeuvre of the Brooklyn was beautiful. We opened a rapid 
fire at her with all our big guns, but she returned it with terrible effect. 
The Oregon also hit us several times, but the Brooklyn's broadsides, 
crashing into our superstructure, simply terrorized the men. We worked 
all our guns at her at one time, and 1 don't see how she escaped us. She 
simply drove us in to the shore, at one time fighting us at 1,100 yards. 
One shell went along the entire gun deck, killing half the men on it and 

wounding nearly all the rest. 

"A shell from the Oregon hit the superstructure, and it was then 
that, wounded and knowing we could not get away, 1 struck the flag and 
started for the beach. We were on fire badly, and when those men who 
were alive started to swim for shore the Cubans on shore shot at us until 
the American ships arrived and stopped them. 

THE BROOKLYN PREVENTED CERVERA'S ESCAPE 

"The Brooklyn had prevented me from getting away, for 1 could 
have beaten the Oregon out, as I had a two-mile lead of her. My orders 



460 VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 

were to try and sink the Brooklyn, and I tried to carry them out. I did 
not think that her battery could be so terrible as it was." 

Admiral Cervera himself prepared a summary of the battle, which 
was forwarded to Spain and from which translations have been made. 
The report is brief and lacking in detail, but it is interesting as showing 
the attention to some minor incidents which this brave officer gave under 
such a terrible destroying fire. He says: 

"In obedience to your orders, in the face of that which would have 
happened, and of which you were informed, I left the bay of Santiago 
for sea on the 3d day of July. The order for sailing was established as 
follows: In the first place the Infanta Maria Teresa sailed to sea, followed 
subsequently by the Viscaya, Colon, and Oquendo, and finally the 
destroyers, all having fires spread and disposed for the highest speed. 
The Maria Teresa should undertake the combat, leading the other vessels 
to the westward, the destroyers keeping themselves out of action, all 
endeavoring to escape if combat was impossible. The Maria Teresa 
commenced a sustained fire against two vessels, one of the Indiana type, 
steering toward the Brooklyn, which was at the right of the entrance of 
the bay, and which was the vessel most dreaded on account of her speed. 
The rest of our ships attacked the other hostile vessels. 

DESTRUCTION OF THE MARIA TERESA 

"The departure of our squadron having been effected," continues 
the Admiral, "we steered the prearranged course in view of the disad- 
vantages that existed for us, which became evident as soon as the exit 
had been accomplished. The enemy's fire produced terrible damages 
on board the Infanta Maria Teresa, destroying the elements of defense 
— among others the net for protection against fire. In this critical 
moment the captain of the ship, Senor Concas, fell wounded, and it was 
necessary to withdraw him, I taking command of the vessel, because it 



VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 4(51 

was impossible to find the second commandant of the Maria Teresa. 
Immediately afterward they reported to me that my cabin was burning 
in consequence of an explosion. The fire soon became very great and 
ignited other parts of the ship. I gave orders to my aid to flood the 
after magazines, but it was impossible. Dense clouds of smoke Impeded 
walking in the passages and practicing any kind of operations. In this 
situation I could only think of beaching the ship, and did so, running 
aground on Punta Cabra. The contest was impossible on our side, 
and there was nothing more to be done but to save as much as possible. 
I thought to lower the flag but that was not possible on account of the 
fire, which prevented all operations. In these anxious moments two 
boats came to the aid of the Maria Teresa, into which a number of us 
jumped. Those that were not dying were saved with nothing. 

"The Teresa lowered a small boat, which sank before it could be 
of any service. Subsequently they succeeded in getting down a steam 
launch, but this also sank after making one voyage to the beach. I 
succeeded in saving myself with nothing, two sailors helping me, one 
named Andres Sequeros and the officer, D. Angel Cervera, all of us 
arriving on board the American ship Gloucester naked. 

"At a short distance to the westward was the Oquendo in flames, 
but maintaining a fire against the enemy's enormously superior forces. 

THE GLOUCESTER CARRIED MANY SPANISH PRISONERS 

"On board the Gloucester there were some 200 Spanish sailors. 
to whom the American officers and privates gave every attention. Most 
of our sailors arrived on board naked. In view of the great number of 
prisoners on board of said vessel, it was decided to transfer some of 
them, which they did, taking me and others to the Iowa. The insur- 
gents offered their services, but I thanked them without accepting their 
offer though I indicated that it would be convenient if they would advise 



462 VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 

the doctors to assist the wounded that might be found on the beach. In 
this situation we were proceeding to the westward when the Iowa was 
detached from the American squadron. 

COMMODORE SCHLEY DOES CERVERA A GREAT SERVICE 

"The captains of the destroyers also gave me an account of that 
which occurred on their vessels. At our arrival on board the Iowa I 
saw the captain of the Viscaya, Senor Eulate, who wore his sword and 
who gave me a report of what had occurred on his vessel. 

"From the armored ship Iowa we went on board the transport 
Paris. In this vessel I asked permission of Commodore Schley to 
telegraph you, communicating the telegram already known. 

" From the text of the report I have only to rectify one error. The 
Pluton was not sunk, but was beached. 

"It remains to communicate to you that our enemies behaved 
toward us with great chivalry, providing us with good clothes and sup- 
pressing almost entirely the usual hurrahs, to prevent hurting our self 
respect, and offering to us the most anxious solicitude. 

"I do not know the number and details of the loss sustained. 

GRIEF FOR LOSS OF COMPANIONS 

"Summary — The 3d of July has been to us a horrible disaster, as 
I had foreseen. The number of the dead, nevertheless, is less than 
what I feared. The country has been defended with honor, and the 
satisfaction of the duty done leaves our conscience tranquil, with nothing 
more than the grief for the loss of our companions and the misfortune 
of our country." 

A still more interesting account of the squadron of Spain, because 
it includes the movements of the fleet inside the harbor up to the time 
that Admiral Cervera decided to escape, was given by Lieutenant- 



'51^ '^ 




VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 4r,r, 

Commander Centrones, of the Cristobal Colon, the morning following 
the fight while he was aboard the converted yacht Vixen. It was 
dictated in French to Chief-Engineer Stanford E. Moses, of the Vixen, 
and by him translated exclusively for my benefit. Here is the story: 

SPANISH FLEET ARRIVED AT SANTIAGO MAY 1 Dth 

"It is not true that the heavy fire of the American ships drove us 
out. Besides the accident to the Reina Mercedes we had no casualties. 
The dynamite shells of the Vesuvius did no damage except to terrorize 
the people. A shell did not strike or hit near the base of the fort. We 
arrived at Santiago May 19th. We did not know that our whereabouts 
was a secret. We made no attempt to hide or to cover up our plans. 
We simply took easy stages to get to Cuba. It was very hot in the 
harbor and we suffered greatly. We made no attempt to get out and 
did not use our torpedo boats, as all our machinery was defective and 
we were trying to repair it. The frequent bombardment by American 
ships resulted in quite a loss of life, but did little other damage. The 
batteries were not harmed to any extent. It is not true that we dis- 
mounted our ship guns. The Reina Mercedes' guns were all on the 
fort when Commodore Schley arrived at Cienfuegos and we started to 
get out. The news had come too late, as Schley had left a couple of 
his ships to act as decoys before Cienfuegos and in the meantime had 
come down here. On Sunday morning. May 29th, we found Schley 
blocking our way out. It was then Cervera's intention to come out and 
give battle, but General Linares and the citizens objected and we 
stayed." 

"What about the Hobson expedition?" was asked. 

"Well, we were very much surprised and at the first alarm believed 
that a torpedo boat attack was going on. The shore batteries opened 
up and the ships used their rapid-fire guns. The dynamos were not 



21 



466 VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 

going, however, and we had no searchlights, so that we could not find 
the object. We did not sink her with our batteries or our mines. She 
sank herself with her own torpedoes by blowing out her bottom. Admiral 
Cervera, in making an inspection of shore batteries in a steam launch 
a little later, found Hobson swimming in the entrance of the harbor and 
trying to get out to sea. On being picked up Hobson asked that his 
men be saved. Hobson had on a life-preserver and was not on a raft 
as stated." Then Mr. Centrones began the most interesting part of his 
narrative, that relating to the movements of Cervera. He said: 
"Admiral Cervera, after the arrival of a great American fleet, did not 
believe it wise to go out and try to fight it. He argued that the best 
policy was to hold the harbor against the enemy and be ready by an 
enfilading fire over the hilltops to drive back the invading army. At first 
people in Santiago believed this wise, but as provisions ran short and 
dispatch after dispatch came from Madrid it was found that public sen- 
timent demanded a naval battle. On Saturday last a conference was 
called on the flagship Maria Teresa and all the officers of the fleet were 
present. Cervera announced his intention of going out and it was 
decided to try it that night. Just after dark and after the ships had got 
up their anchors ready to start, beacon lights were seen on the western 
hill and it was decided that the American fleet had been warned of our 
intention and would close in on us. In addition it was found that the 
searchlights flashed in the distance from the American ships would pre- 
vent us steering by the Merrimac. It was afterward, too late, learned 
that the supposed signal lights were insurgents burning up blockhouses. 

THE ORDER OF COMING OUT OF THE SPANIARDS 

"The order of coming out and the tactics to be used were these: 
The Maria Teresa, carrying Admiral Cervera's flag, was to go first, and 
then was to follow the Viscaya, the Oquendo, and the Cristobal Colon. 



VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 4<;7 

The torpedo boat destroyers Furor and Pluton were to come out last and 
run inside of the ships, which were to hug the shore to the west. The 
west end of the blockading station was chosen because it was thought 
that the Brooklyn, being light in protection, would be the easiest to sink, 
and as she was fast would be better out of the way. " 

Then one of the other officers added: "We never thought that the 
Brooklyn's battery was so terrible and that she would attempt to fight all 
of us. She was a frightful sight when all her guns were going. " 

Continuing the commander said: "On Sunday morning the look- 
outs reported that the Massachusetts, New Orleans, and New York 
were not in sight, and it was concluded that it was a good time to make 
the start. We were the last ship out and we saw at once that the Brook- 
lyn, Texas, and Oregon were doing dreadful work with the two leading 
ships. That is all I know of the battle, except that two five-inch shells 
from the Brooklyn went through us and an eight- inch shell from the 
Oregon hit us in the stern. We saw no other ships than those in the 
last two hours, but we had to make such a long detour in going out that 
we thought best to surrender. " 

He waited a moment and then said: "Brassey's Naval Annual 
puts the Oregon down at fifteen knots, but she was doing more than that 
when she chased us." 

CAPTAIN CONCAS DEPRECATES METHOD OF AMERICANS 

Captain Concas, of the flagship Maria Teresa, who was wounded 
during the action, has since written a report of the entire operations of 
the Spanish fleet, which follows very closely the details presented by 
the other officers. But he expresses a very decided belief that if the 
methods employed with the Colon after her surrender and which were 
designed to save her, had had a little more common sense injected into 
them they would have resulted in her being added to the United States 
Navy. Captain Concas says in his report: 



468 VICTOR AND VANQUISHED 

" The Cristobal Colon was less fortunate than any of the others, for, 
although going at a rate of speed of thirteen knots, she ran ashore on 
sand; and if Admiral Sampson, with a more seamanlike spirit, had 
ordered the divers to close the valves, he could most certainly have 
saved the cruiser, but with feverish impatience he towed her off with his 
own flagship, the New York. Hardly had the ship been floated when 
she began to list, at which moment, with great dexterity, he pushed the 
Colon back again with the ram of his own ship toward the sandy shoal, 
but it was too late, and, turning over, that noble cruiser went to the 
bottom of the sea. The few Americans and Spaniards who were still on 
board hastily saved themselves." 

GREAT COURAGE SHOWN BY JOSE CASADO 

We could never complete this chapter if we were to relate the 
innumerable acts of courage, but I cannot do less than to mention one 
which I saw with my own eyes. The Maria Teresa had already been 
abandoned, the flames mounting up to the height of the funnels, and pro- 
jectiles exploding on all sides, and when everybody thought that no living 
soul was left on the ship, suddenly a man appeared there calling for help. 
Instantly Jose Casado cried, "I will not let that man die!" and threw 
himself into the water. He climbed up the blood-stained sides of the 
ship, seized the man, carried him down on his shoulders and, swimming 
with him to the shore, laid his burden on the beach. It was hardly pos- 
sible to believe that that shapeless form was a man with fourteen wounds, 
who must have been left aboard as dead. 




^!U^^V* 



CHAPTER XXVIl 
CLOSING INCIDENTS 

THE destruction of the Spanish fleet naturally meant the inability 
of Spain to provision its starving army in Cuba, and therefore 
meant that the end of the war was in sight. The army quickly took this 
view of the matter, and shore operations were conducted so rapidly with 
the aid of the Navy — so far as General Shafter could induce Admiral 
Sampson to assist him — that within two weeks Santiago had surrendered 
and the Spanish government was beginning negotiations for peace. 

THE REINA MERCEDES IS RIDDLED BY FLEET 

Commodore Schley spent his time between the harbor front of 
Santiago and Guantanamo bay. The four weeks we were there were 
long and tedious, although there were several incidents that broke their 
monotony somewhat. On the night of July 4th the Massachusetts, the 
crew of which was very much disgusted because of their failure to be 
in the fight, got into a little scrap of their own, from which they emerged 
most successfully. It seems that the Spanish in Santiago, taking 
pattern by our attempt to sink the Merrimac and blockade their fleet, 
decided that they would sink the Reina Mercedes, an old and dilapidated 
cruiser which had been their principal naval defense around the southern 
coast of Cuba for many years. Stripping her of all her important arma- 
ment and the then, of course, very scarce provisions, an engineers 

471 



4^3 CLOSING INCIDENTS 

crew and her captain started to sink her in the narrow neck of the 
channel. Hardly had her nose projected from behind the green hills 
when the Massachusetts saw her and in an instant the searchlights 
were turned full upon her, for it was dusk. Then the Massachusetts, 
assisted by the Texas, opened fire at once. Because of the short time 
that they knew they would have in which to sink her, both ships used 
their great guns, the Massachusetts her thirteen-inch and the Texas her 
twelve-inch. Marvelous though the shooting of the 3d of July had 
been, this was more so. The ships were fully three miles away from 
their target, and yet the very first shell fired from the Massachusetts 
went crashing clean through her. The Texas followed with a twelve- 
inch and the Massachusetts kept up a fusilade with an eight-inch. 
The officers and crew of the Spanish ship were so startled by the 
promptness and precision of this reception, that they immediately 
jumped overboard, leaving the cruiser to take care of itself, and she 
performed just about the same feat as the Merrimac before her had, 
running up on the shoal by the side of the harbor and not obstructing 

the channel at all. 

FILING THE REPORTS 

An incident of some importance was the filing of the reports to the 
government by the various officers of the squadrons and ships. Com- 
modore Schley prepared his report and on the 8th of July took it to 
Admiral Sampson. In this report he detailed the fact that he had seen 
the Texas, the Iowa, and the Oregon, and of course his own ship, the 
Brooklyn, but "the dense smoke of the combat shut out from my view 
the Indiana, and the Gloucester; but as these vessels were closer to the 
flagship no doubt their part in the conflict was under your immediate 
observation." 

Commodore Schley returned to the Brooklyn again, and a little 
later, after Admiral Sampson had evidently read the report, there came 



CLOSING INCIDENTS 17;; 

over a wig-wag message for the Commodore to report aboard the New 
York. Rear-Admiral Sampson handed him bacl<. his report with the 
statement that he was the Commander-in-Chief, and that Commodore 
Schley's report was slighting him in not mentioning that the New York 
was present during the fight. Commodore Schley said to him: "I have 
no objection to putting the New York In. The victory is big enough for 
us all, and I'll take it back and write it over again." And then this big- 
hearted man brought back his report aboard the Brooklyn and re-wrote 
it, addressing it to the Commander-in-Chief and using the words "your 
command" all through it and speaking in complimentary terms of the 
arrival of the New York. 

EXAMINING THE WRECKS OF THE SPANISH BOATS 

On the afternoon of the 8th we went with the Brooklyn to the west- 
ward and examined each of the wrecks except that of the Colon. 
The fires aboard of them had burned out and we went aboard the Viscaya 
and the Maria Teresa. They were pitiful sights, these huge ships, their 
hulls burned a dirty brown in the intense heat, and their interiors a mass 
of wreckage. Com.modore Schley stood on the deck, or what was left 
of the deck, of the Maria Teresa and shook his head sadly as he said: 
"Oh, thepity of it." 

THE SPANISH FLAGSHIP MARIA TERESA 

Two days later a boat's crew, with diving apparatus, was sent from 
the Brooklyn to examine the Infanta Maria Teresa, the flagship of 
Admiral Cervera. Among the terrible wreckage made by the big guns 
and the exploded magazines they found a standard compass, by which 
the ship was steered and which had tumbled down with the bridge. It 
was heavy, but they brought it over and, by permission of Captain Cook, 
presented it to Commodore Schley. 



474 CLOSING INCIDENTS 

It was a curious sight to see these seamen, bubbling over with 
affection for the Commodore, shuffle onto the quarter-deck where Com- 
modore Schley was reading. One man represented the entire crew. 
Two others followed, carrying the compass. They stepped close to the 
Commodore and then the spokesman, in a stammering way, said: "Sir, 
the crew would like to make you a present." 

Schley was on his feet in an instant, his glasses in his hand and his 
paper on the deck. The spokesman hesitated. 

"Well, my men," said the Commodore, with an encouraging smile, 
and the spokesman, hitching at his trousers, continued: "We found 
this compass on the Spanish Admiral's ship, and we thought as how we 
would like to give it to you to remember how you whipped them." 

"I am much obliged to you," said the Commodore, with a tremor 
in his voice, "but the great credit of that victory belongs to you boys — 
the men behind the guns. Without you no laurels would come to our 
country. Thank you." 

CHEERS FOR COMMODORE SCHLEY 

There were three hearty cheers from the men, and then Gunner's- 
Mate Donnelly touched his cap and blurted out, "We hope, sir, as how 
you'll steer a straighter course than the other fellow who owned it," and 
there was another approving cheer as the men dispersed. 

With his eye bejeweled with a tear, the Commodore said, as he 
turned away, "I'd rather have a thing like this than the adulation of my 
entire country." 

A UNIQUE BOMBARDMENT 

On Monday, the 1 1th of July, in order to convince the enemy in 
Santiago that they were entirely surrounded by the army ashore and the 
navy afloat and that our great guns could reach them, we began a very 
unique and curious sort of bombardment. Santiago city lay six miles 



CLOSING INCIDENTS 477 

back of the harbor neck and about four and one-half miles from any 
straight line drawn from the coast. The fleet had to keep out from the shore 
line fully a mile to a mile and a half to avoid the shallows, and so, to fire 
into Santiago city meant in the first place to throw the immense shells 
over hills 210 feet high and a distance of about six miles at a hidden 
city. The army placed a man with a wig-wag flag and strong glasses 
on the high hill commanding the city, with orders to keep us informed 
of the fall of our shells. Again the Commander-in-Chief was absent and 
Commodore Schley took charge. The Indiana, the Texas, and the 
Brooklyn moved down to a point about two miles east of the harbor 
entrance, to a point which they believed to be almost on a straight line 
with the city. Throwing some of their heavy guns over to port so as to 
give the ships a list and elevate the starboard guns a little more, they 
began to fire slowly. The first few shots did not go into the city, but 
with the aid of the signal man the range was very soon obtained and for 
a couple of hours, this fleet, out of sight of the citizens of Santiago, 
dropped shells almost exactly where they pleased in this hidden city. 

EFFECT OF THE FIRING 

The report of the effect of these shells is interesting, and it here 
follows : 

"Twelve houses were completely wrecked inside and one house 
was burned. Sixteen eight-inch shells struck within three blocks on 
the Calla De Mariana. These excavated the ground to a depth of about 
four feet and to a length of about ten feet. The street was macadam- 
ized. It is judged from the fact that many of them struck near the 
water's edge that a number of the shells must have gone into the water. 
Army officers have stated that thirty or forty went beyond the northern 
edge of the bay into the Spanish lines. 

"A dozen or more of the shells had not exploded. In four of them 



478 CLOSING INCIDENTS 

the base had been simply blown out. In one case a four-inch shell, 
which was probably a stray shell fired during the demonstration at 
Aguadores on July 1st, had gone through a tree and had exploded in 
the ground beyond. When the severe effect of the eight-inch shell is 
considered it is a matter for congratulation that it was not necessary to 
continue the bombardment longer and fire thirteen-inch shells, as the 
squadron had prepared to do. The effect of these latter would undoubt- 
edly have been of a most disastrous character to the town." 

THE CITY OF SANTIAGO SURRENDERS 

The same operation was continued on Tuesday, the 1 1th, by the 
New York and the Brooklyn, and on the 14th, the city surrendered. 
The remainder of the time, up to the 1 4th of August, when we were 
ordered home, was spent in patrolling and visiting the earthworks ashore, 
and the city, and in patching up the ship preparatory to our return home. 

The return of Hobson was made an occasion for rejoicing by the 
fleet. Preparations were made for the sending of a squadron to the 
coast of Spain under Commodore Watson, and this occasioned some 
little excitement, but its abandonment came almost simultaneously with 
the announcement, so it was but a ripple. 

THE TEXAS STARTS FOR HOME 

The departure of the Texas on the 26th for home, the first one of 
the ships to be detached, woke everybody to a state of great enthusiasm, 
and as she left in the evening, each ship cheered her. 

In the meantime came the news of the signing of the peace pro- 
tocol, and on Sunday morning, the 14th of August, we started for home 
as a squadron, under the command of Rear-Admiral Sampson. 

What a happy crowd we were, to be sure ; and the happiest among 
us was Commodore Schley. Many a man on these ships had no 



CLOSING INCIDENTS 479 

hearthstone of his own to come to, but the fact that we were coming 
back to our own country, to the United States, was joy enough. The 
man who had won the fight at Santiago was one of these. 

THE HERO OF SANTIAGO A LOVER OF HOME 

Since Schley had entered the Navy in 1856 he has been practically 
homeless so far as permanent domicile is concerned. Always a sea 
fighter, always seeking and securing assignments for active duty on 
shipboard rather than soft billets ashore, as is natural with a man who 
has served his country for forty-five continuous years, in which he has 
had to risk his life many times, Admiral Schley has had little time for 
home building. And yet the hero of the battle of Santiago is as dear a 
lover of home and family as any citizen of these United States who, 
by continual residence in one settled place, has been able to surround 
himself with the luxuries and comforts which make a home. 

It might be said that Admiral Schley's home has been the quarter- 
deck or the cabin of a United States warship. But that is not true. 
He has doubtless enjoyed his long cruises, and he is a man who enjoys, 
if he does not court, danger, and he is a lover of activity. But withal, 
he loves such home life as in the brief periods ashore he has been able 
to enjoy, and his devotion to his wife, his two sons, and his daughter, is 
as deep seated as are the many other traits of his character so admired 
by the American people. 

Now upon the retired list of the Navy, having completed a service 
of great credit, even of renown, he will undoubtedly devote himself to 
the completion of a home in which to spend the remainder of his 
honored days, that will be as much of a pleasure and treasure to him 
as has been the gradual gathering of home furnishings which he has 

been carrying out for years. 

Every man, whatever his condition of life may be. has a pet theory. 



480 CLOSING INCIDENTS 

no matter how nebulous, of what his ideal home should be ; and perhaps 
the more active the life a man leads, the more he dreams of and pictures 
that home and home life which are to be his when the battle and strife 
are over. Ever in the midst of the strenuous life of active service he 
has led, Admiral Schley has been gathering material for a home, and 
when he once sits down, surrounded by his lares and penates, there will 
be few more delightful homes, or more cordial hosts than will be found 
there. 

I have seen him in the darkness of the night on the bridge of his 
warship, straining his eyes for the expected torpedo attack, which, if 
successful, would in all probability mean no consummation of the dream 
of home to him. I have stood by his side in the heat of battle, when 
among excited men he was the cool one, and wondered whether he was 
giving a thought to those at his fireside in the states. And then I have 
seen him in his cabin, carefully laying aside this little memento, or that 
little treasure, to send home to his wife or his children, for the adorn- 
ment of what — why, naturally, their home. 

HIS HOME ON THE CRUISER BROOKLYN 

For six months his home was the little cabin of the cruiser Brook- 
lyn, and his daily promenade, the quarter-deck of that ship. Every one 
knows of his heroism, his devotion to his country, and his splendid quali- 
ties of leadership as displayed from that steel home on the sea. Perhaps 
it would interest those who know of, or who have seen, the ship's cabin 
in peace time, with its beautiful mahogany trimmings, the elaborate rugs 
and hangings, to know just how this temporary home of Admiral Schley 
looked. The mahogany lining and decorations were ripped out, and in 
their place were the lead-colored bulwarks of steel plate. The rugs and 
the portieres were gone. The little silk curtains from the portholes were 
missing, and in their places were rope nettings to keep the splinters 




Eight-inch Gin Deck. 
(Ixx.x) 



^^ 



CLOSING INCIDENTS 4«3 

from flying, and steel covers to keep shells from entering. The only bits 
of furniture left in the big cabin were the round table and a couple of 
chairs. The breeches of two big five-inch guns swung into this room, 
and in the little apartment adjoining, sometimes used as a sort of sec- 
ond drawing room, the breeches of two six-pounders rested. And when 
a battle call was sounded, barefooted, shirtless men would stream Into 
the cabins and take possession of these guns, the ammunition carriages 
would roll in the heavy shells and ammunition cases, and the Admiral's 
home would be converted into a veritable pandemonium. Just off one 
side of this general reception room, which in times of peace is undoubt- 
edly very attractive and pretty, was the one little spot which had some 
semblance of the real home. Here was the little brass bedstead, with 
snowy white linen and coverlid, a skin rug on the floor, a cheval glass 
and dresser in mahogany, and, separated from this room by an attractive 
portiere, a perfectly appointed little bathroom. 

THE DECORATIONS OF HIS CABIN 

Beside the bed in the Admiral's private cabin stood a tiny table, 
and here and on the dresser and walls were the souvenirs of his home 
and family; photographs of his wife and children, of his daughter's 
country place in Connecticut, where they had all spent so many delight- 
ful hours; a few choice books, for the Admiral is a constant reader and 
a fine linguist, so that literature of various countries was continually at 
hand, and a few little treasures such as are always deemed necessary 
to man's comfort and happiness by the women who love him. 

It was in the big cabin that the Admiral dined, and, here in solitary 
state, with the grim implements of war surrounding him, and alone, as 
naval etiquette demands, unless some officers from another ship and of 
equal rank should come aboard, his personal servants waited upon him. 

We arrived in New York harbor on the morning of the 20th of 



484 CLOSING INCIDENTS 

August. Nobody can fail to remember the magnificent welcome 
accorded to the fleet on that day, or the fact that Commodore Schley, 
as his ship came up the Narrows, received word that an at least tempo- 
rarily grateful government had promoted him to the rank of rear admiral. 
Two-thirds nearly of all the ships and excursion boats that gathered to 
meet the fleet made their object of interest the cruiser Brooklyn and 
Rear- Admiral Schley, and it was evident then, as it is now, although the 
sentiment has continued to grow, that the great public had marked him 
as an American naval hero. 

Commodore Schley had been surprised as the Brooklyn passed the 
Texas, to hear a rear admiral's salute fired, but when he got a little 
beyond and a press boat threw aboard a notification of his promotion, 
he was as joyous as a child. Of his reception ashore, of his triumph 
on the day of the Dewey celebration — a triumph second only to 
Dewey's own reception — and of his continual growth in the affections 
of the American people and their admiration for his courage in battle 
and graciousness under criticism, every good American knows. The 
failure of innuendo, of jealous criticism, and of bureaucratic partiality is 
evidenced by the fact that despite the trial through which he has been 
he has emerged unscathed, receiving from that other great sea warrior 
and American hero, Admiral George Dewey, a beautiful tribute to the 
closing work of his career, the successful campaign off southern Cuba. 



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